Coral Reef Ecosystems of St. Martin’s Island - It’s Glorious Past, Current Dreadful State of Resources and Future Strategy Towards Rejuvenation.

Abstract

Lying in the middle of the ocean, St. Martin’s Island smiles with all its beauty and diversity of habitat. Obsessed by its strategic importance the United States
expressed its strongest desire to possess the St. Martin’s Island as part of United States and in return they promised to give everything in return to a war-torn
country after liberation. But best Bengali soul of the universe, the father of the nation, the father of tourism, whose love and sacrifice for the nation has no match
in the world, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman knew the potential of St. Martin’s Island and replied negatively. Every coral island in the world is a matter of tourist attraction. The crystal-clear water, blue sea, and tranquil environment, has transform the island as the best tourist destination nationally. It is rapidly gaining international popularity as a wonder of the mother nature where coral are home of thousands of different species of plants, fishes and other types of animals that is wonderfully packed with biodiversity of coral reef ecosystem. The added attraction of rocky island, it is created by the rocky coral, built by rocky coral foundation and protected by the rocky coral.Coral reef covers about 0.1% of the surface of sea-bed and there are about 99 fullfledged coral islands in the world. Scientists estimate that over one million plants and animal species are involved in the process of coral reef building, and they host-receive more than 25% of all species of marine life and St. Martin’s Island is proudly one of those fully developed coral reef location. The coral reef is built bybillions of small organisms called polyp, but they live as part of cohesive group called colonies and their growth is restricted to three distinct forms: Massive, Branching, and Plate-like. The distinctive diagnostic characteristics of coral reef comes from coral reef biome, jointly formed by Rocky Coral Polyp and Crustose Coralline algae. Sea turtles nourishes, protects and creates environment of healthy growth of coral reef. Hawksbill turtle colonize coral them by consuming toxic sponges, while Leatherback turtle a major jellyfish predator protects corals and While Green turtle helps in breeding of new coral reefs through grazing sea beds. Female sea turtle comes to sandy beaches for nesting and laying eggs and remains there until hatchling comes out and protect them until they go back to the ocean. Unhatched turtle eggs provide high-quality nutrient in sea shore and help grow beach vegetation. The sea turtle comes to the St. Martin’s Island from all the way from Sundarbans for nesting. The live coral and sea turtle protect, mangrove habitat and seagrass beds provide haven, and breeding house for all fish resources,microorganisms and many other marine lives. The St. Martins Island is conveniently lying along the highway of bird migration and is a famous transit place for migratory birds coming from all around the world to escape biting cold from the wests and polar regions, it is a great get-together and mingling location with global birds during winter. If the bird sanctuary is upgraded with modern facilities it can be a famous place for global bird watchingvenue in the world.