Bibliography and Checklist of Corals and Coral Reef Associated Organisms of India

Coral reefs are one of the important ecosystems to people of our country as a source of protein, medicinal and cultural products. They also protect the shorelines from erosion and damage due to cyclone. The sand beaches around these coral reefs are also used as tourist spots, which is turn help to earn foreign exchange. These coral reefs are also called as hotspots of marine biodiversity, supporting many species of corals, fishes, crustaceans and many thousands of other animals and plants. Because of this high diversity of species, they are often termed fragile ecosystems. However, coral reefs are actually robust in nature due to their existence for over 35 million years. These existing reefs have overcome many catastrophic events, large scale climate changes etc. in the past. If the present day human population does not coexist well with the coral reef ecosystem, the decline of reef diversity is certain.