Of the 42 species of the family Coralliidae, seven recorded and one unidentified species are marketed as precious corals. Their main distribution areas are the Mediterranean and the North Pacific, and their distribution extends to the deep sea. The conservation status of precious corals is as follows: four Chinese species are included in CITES Appendix III; Mediterranean red coral is listed as ‘Endangered’ in the Mediterranean IUCN Red List, and three Japanese species are listed as ‘Near Threatened’ in the Japanese Red List. In addition, coralliid corals are indicator species for Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems in the deep sea.
The biggest man-made threats to precious corals are fisheries and changes in the global environment. The goal of this Research Topic is therefore to accumulate scientific knowledge to assess the effects of these influences on precious corals and promote measures to ensure their survival.
Original scientific contributions are invited on the following themes in particular; however, other articles are also welcome.
• Evaluation of precious coral resources and the extent to which they are endangered: taxonomy, distribution, biomass, discussion about the pros and cons of coral fishery
• Resource management for the sustainable use of precious corals: reproductive biology, population dynamics, population modelling
• Management of precious coral fishery and trading: identification of raw materials used in coral products, estimation of the catch and trading volume
• The vital role of precious corals in the deep-sea ecosystem: deep-sea biogeography, linkage between shallow and deep populations in the Mediterranean
• Effects of global environmental changes and ocean acidification on precious corals: heat waves, mass mortality, biomineralization
Of the 42 species of the family Coralliidae, seven recorded and one unidentified species are marketed as precious corals. Their main distribution areas are the Mediterranean and the North Pacific, and their distribution extends to the deep sea. The conservation status of precious corals is as follows: four Chinese species are included in CITES Appendix III; Mediterranean red coral is listed as ‘Endangered’ in the Mediterranean IUCN Red List, and three Japanese species are listed as ‘Near Threatened’ in the Japanese Red List. In addition, coralliid corals are indicator species for Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems in the deep sea.
The biggest man-made threats to precious corals are fisheries and changes in the global environment. The goal of this Research Topic is therefore to accumulate scientific knowledge to assess the effects of these influences on precious corals and promote measures to ensure their survival.
Original scientific contributions are invited on the following themes in particular; however, other articles are also welcome.
• Evaluation of precious coral resources and the extent to which they are endangered: taxonomy, distribution, biomass, discussion about the pros and cons of coral fishery
• Resource management for the sustainable use of precious corals: reproductive biology, population dynamics, population modelling
• Management of precious coral fishery and trading: identification of raw materials used in coral products, estimation of the catch and trading volume
• The vital role of precious corals in the deep-sea ecosystem: deep-sea biogeography, linkage between shallow and deep populations in the Mediterranean
• Effects of global environmental changes and ocean acidification on precious corals: heat waves, mass mortality, biomineralization