Definition
The extraction of coral, either in the fossil or living form, for use generally in the construction trade. This is a widespread activity in the Indian Ocean in particular, which results in extensive damage to the three-dimensional structure of the reef and its inhabitants. Recovery of damaged reefs may be very limited, particularly when surfaces are reduced to mobile rubble which inhibits successful coral colonization and growth.
Background
Coral mining has caused extensive degradation of reefs in a number of countries, which include India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and the Philippines (Brown, 1997a). The use of coral rock as a construction material in many countries in the central Indian Ocean has had a long history, particularly in the building of mosques, temples, and shrines. Early photographs taken by Agassiz in Malé in the Maldives in 1903 show houses constructed of coconut leaves and available timber, but by the mid-late tewntieth century construction of houses,...
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Brown, B.E. (2011). Mining/Quarrying of Coral Reefs. In: Hopley, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Modern Coral Reefs. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2639-2_115
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2639-2_115
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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