Coastal and Marine Ecology Programme

The programme recognises the lack of baseline information and applied research on patterns and trends in diversity and ecological functions of coastal ecosystems of India as a major impediment to undertaking appropriate management interventions for coastal areas. Through our research and conservation programmes, we intend to create baseline information on coastal and marine ecosystems.

With increasing recognition of the ecosystem deliverables from coastal waters and due to increasing human population, urbanisation and accelerated developmental activities, coastal areas are receiving more attention and importance in recent years. Many of these anthropogenic activities have put tremendous pressure on the fragile coastal environment. After the December 2004 tsunami, there is increasing realisation of the extreme vulnerability of coastal areas and the need to protect them. While it may not be possible to device man-made protection measures to protect and control the impacts of major natural catastrophes like the December 2004 tsunami, the value of natural protecting coastal systems such as coastal vegetation, coral reefs, mangroves and sand dunes and sandy shores are now being increasingly recognised.

Dakshin Foundation and its collaborators are initiating long-term research that would help us understand the diversity patterns and ecosystem processes of coastal and marine ecosystems. We have initiated studies on sandy beaches and sand dunes and are in the process of developing baseline information on these ecosystems to examine human impacts on populations and communities

The Coastal and Marine Ecology Programme will have the following major thematic approaches to its research and conservation interventions

Species biodiversity - This component will focus on mapping and assessment of resources, micro and macro scales of distribution of species, factors controlling distribution of species, and capacities in developing taxonomic skills.

Ecosystem processes - While patterns are one side of the coin, process are the other and therefore it is critical to understand ecosystem function. Thus we will focus on long-term monitoring of select marine ecosystems to understand the major drivers of ecosystem function.

Threats to ecosystems - The component also intends focus on the impacts of human disturbance and resource utilisation on the coastal and marine ecosystems. This can be achieved only through long-term monitoring of exploitation patterns and select indicator species that are sensitive to such changes.

Projects

Marine fisheries and management in Tamil Nadu