Assessing the vulnerability of coral reefs towards climate change impacts with the IUCN reef resilience factors: a tool for prioritize management resources

Chun, Hong James Tan and Muhammad Hafiz Borkhanuddin, . and Md Nizam Ismail, . and Nurzahirah Kamarudin, . and Putri Asma Megat Yusop, . and Seng, Chee Poh and Hin, Boo Wee and Yusri Yusuf, . (2018) Assessing the vulnerability of coral reefs towards climate change impacts with the IUCN reef resilience factors: a tool for prioritize management resources. [Proceedings Paper]

Establish of marine park as a total no-take zone aim to protect and conserve the marine resources. Conflict of interest commonly occurs include disagreement with the local stakeholders such as islanders that harvest the marine resources for their livelihood. Consequently, many locals ventured into tourism industry as the permitted alternative within the marine park that later became one of the major threats to the marine environment. This study aimed to examine the resilience of coral reefs in the marinepark and to further support the potential of zonal management within the no-take Marine Protected Areas (MPA). Pulau Payar Marine Park, the only MPA located on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia was selected as the study site. No tourist operator was allowed to station on Pulau Payar Marine Park, and all day-trip tourism activities (e.g., snorkeling and SCUBA diving) were operated from a pontoon. The resilience of 16 selected reefs within the Pulau Payar Marine Park were examined according to IUCN Resilience Index. Nearly half (43.8%) of the reefs were categorized as good resilience site. High and moderate resilience sites each constituted a quarter (25%) of surveyed reefs. Only one site was found to be in poor resilience level. Moreover, the nutrients (nitrate: 0.04 -0.13ppm; phosphate: 0.004-0.015 ppm) and faecal coliform (1.8-16,000 MPN/100 mL) concentration tested in most of the sites were not compliance to Class I of Marine Water Quality Criteria and Standard. This was empirical evidence of anthropogenic impact resulting from tourism activities which affecting the resilience of coral reefs at Pulau Payar Marine Park. To reduce the anthropogenic impacts, tourism activities should be limited at general zone to enable close monitor by the management authority. Then, selected good resilience sites could be the buffer zone served as alternative site during peak tourist season. Lastly, high resilience sites are recommended as conservation zone where no human activity is allowed.

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Abstract

Establish of marine park as a total no-take zone aim to protect and conserve the marine resources. Conflict of interest commonly occurs include disagreement with the local stakeholders such as islanders that harvest the marine resources for their livelihood. Consequently, many locals ventured into tourism industry as the permitted alternative within the marine park that later became one of the major threats to the marine environment. This study aimed to examine the resilience of coral reefs in the marinepark and to further support the potential of zonal management within the no-take Marine Protected Areas (MPA). Pulau Payar Marine Park, the only MPA located on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia was selected as the study site. No tourist operator was allowed to station on Pulau Payar Marine Park, and all day-trip tourism activities (e.g., snorkeling and SCUBA diving) were operated from a pontoon. The resilience of 16 selected reefs within the Pulau Payar Marine Park were examined according to IUCN Resilience Index. Nearly half (43.8%) of the reefs were categorized as good resilience site. High and moderate resilience sites each constituted a quarter (25%) of surveyed reefs. Only one site was found to be in poor resilience level. Moreover, the nutrients (nitrate: 0.04 -0.13ppm; phosphate: 0.004-0.015 ppm) and faecal coliform (1.8-16,000 MPN/100 mL) concentration tested in most of the sites were not compliance to Class I of Marine Water Quality Criteria and Standard. This was empirical evidence of anthropogenic impact resulting from tourism activities which affecting the resilience of coral reefs at Pulau Payar Marine Park. To reduce the anthropogenic impacts, tourism activities should be limited at general zone to enable close monitor by the management authority. Then, selected good resilience sites could be the buffer zone served as alternative site during peak tourist season. Lastly, high resilience sites are recommended as conservation zone where no human activity is allowed.

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Item Type:	Proceedings Paper
Additional Information:	Available at Perpustakaan Sultan Abdul Samad, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. QH91.75 M3S471 2018 Call number.
AGROVOC Term:	coral reefs
AGROVOC Term:	climate change
AGROVOC Term:	marine ecosystems
AGROVOC Term:	surveys
AGROVOC Term:	literature reviews
AGROVOC Term:	data mining
AGROVOC Term:	data analysis
AGROVOC Term:	corals
AGROVOC Term:	resource allocation
Geographical Term:	Malaysia
Depositing User:	Ms. Azariah Hashim
Date Deposited:	17 Nov 2025 03:11
Last Modified:	17 Nov 2025 03:11
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/1604

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