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Article: Conservation of coral reefs under the Ramsar convention on wetlands.
- Article from:
- Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy
- Article date:
- March 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Kluwer Law International. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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1. CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS
It has recently been estimated that coral reefs occupy 284,300 sq. km. of the planet's surface. (2) This is less than 0.1 per cent of the total surface area. (3) Yet in practical and economic terms, the contribution of coral reefs is disproportionately large. For many human populations, coral reefs have for millennia been the major source of protein for their diets. In some cases, coral rubble and sand has helped to raise land above sea level, enabling human inhabitation. Reefs can also dissipate the force of waves, thus protecting shores and communities. Increasingly, coral reefs as a natural wonder attract tourists from around the ...