Located at the heart of the Coral Triangle, Indonesia plays a crucial role in maintaining the food web and complex ecological processes, making it a cornerstone of global marine conservation efforts. However, coral reef ecosystems are under serious threat due to ocean warming associated with climate change and human activities such as overfishing, unsustainable fishing practices, and habitat degradation.
More than 85% of coral reefs in the Coral Triangle are threatened by various factors, significantly higher than the global average. The degradation of coral reef ecosystems affects millions of people who rely on them, not only in Indonesia but globally as well.
Cilun Djakiman from the Maritime and Marine Science Center of Excellence of Pattimura University in Ambon, Indonesia said over the past six weeks, a research team in southeast Sulawesi and Maluku has collected specimens of coral species, took thousands of photos, and measured thousands of species. For the first time, some coral species have had their full gene sequences elucidated, integrating marine science with other data at the same location.
