The status of the ecological environment and a proposed protection strategy in Sanya Bay, Hainan Island, China.

Sanya Bay encompasses a high diversity of natural habitats, ranging from coral reefs, rocky and sandy shores and mudflats to mangroves. Seasonal physicochemical and biological investigations were conducted from 1998 to 1999 and again in April 2000. Water-related environmental quality in Sanya Bay is in good condition. The levels of dissolved oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and heavy metals are within the first class of National Seawater Quality Standards for China. Annual mean values of chlorophyll a of 0.93 mg m(-3) and phytoplankton primary productivity of 440.8 mgC m(-2)d(-1), respectively, were found in the waters, both of which show a significant correlation with inorganic nitrogen. A mean new productivity of 144.6 mgC m(-2) d(-1) was recorded in summer. Sanya Bay is rich in natural resources and biodiversity with 235 species of phytoplankton and 129 species of zooplankton identified in the survey. The annual mean abundance of phytoplankton and zooplankton were 1564 x 10 cells m(-3) and 121 individuals m(-3), respectively, with an annual mean zooplankton biomass of 129 mg m(-3). A total of 243 species of fish were sampled in the survey including many of high economic value. Three hundred and eighty-four species of benthos in 121 families were found by mud sampling and trawling. The average biomass of benthic organisms was 11.55 gm(-2), with a density of 31 individuals m(-2). Molluscs were the dominant group, followed by crustaceans; coelenterates exhibited the lowest biomass. One hundred and twenty-six species from 48 families of intertidal organisms were collected by frame sampling, with a mean annual biomass of 644.7 gm(-2) and average density of 816 individuals m(-2). The highest biomass of 1673.5 gm(-2) was collected in a coral reef region, while the highest density of 1219 individuals m(-2) occurred in a mangrove region. The coastline is characterized by coral reefs that accounts for 30% of the total coastline length in the bay, so coral reefs are a key ecosystem that are important for maintaining the regional marine resources and biodiversity. We need to pay much more attention to such diverse marine resources to maintain the integrity and function of these coastal ecosystems.