“Media of School of Marine Sciences” released: An essential report about the ecological environment of Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea (SCS). Guangxi University participated! A blockbuster debut! Premiere on CCTV!

Editor's Note: “Report shows excellent environmental quality of Huangyan Dao area” was in Beijing, capital of China, July 10, 2024. Ministry of Ecology and Environment, P.R.C. held a media briefing and introduced the relevant situation. This report was jointly compiled by South China Institute of Environmental Science (SCIES), The National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, MEE (NMEMC), Center for Ecology and Environment Monitoring and Research, Administration for Pearl River Basin-SCS Ecology and Environment and Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in SCS, Guangxi University and Key Laboratory of Tropical MarineBio-resources and Ecology, SCS Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Media including CCTV News, Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily Online, Huanqiu.com, Global Times, Lianhe Zaobao, as well as government department websites such as the Chinese government website, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference website and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment have reported on the relevant situation.

This is the first "comprehensive physical examination" of the ecological environment of the waters around Huangyan Dao. The results show that the environmental quality of these waters is excellent, and the coral reef ecosystem is healthy.

“Report shows excellent environmental quality of Huangyan Dao area”  Chinese/English version cover

The first "comprehensive physical examination" of the ecological environment in the waters around Huangyan Dao

SCIES, NMEMC, Supervision and Management Bureau of Ecology and Environment for the Pearl River Watershed and South China Sea, MEE (PSEMRC) have established a professional investigation team, systematically conducted on-site investigations of the marine ecology and environment status in Huangyan Dao area, from May to June 2024. The investigation covered the quality of seawater, marine sediment, marine biomass and floating litter, as well as coral communities, reef-dwelling fish and other typical biological groups. Further collaborating with Guangxi University and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bioresources and Ecology, SCSIO, CAS, conducted a comprehensive analysis and assessment based on the previous scientific expeditions, including scientific research and satellite remote sensing data, which constituted the first "comprehensive physical examination" of the ecological environment of the Huangyan Dao waters.

The results showed an excellent environmental quality of Huangyan Dao area. The seawater quality and marine sediment quality were both rated as Grade I; The residual level of pollutants, such as heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons in fish samples were below the standard limits; The coral reef ecosystem is healthy; the reef-building coral community is good condition; the species diversity of coral communities was relatively high.

There are 4 new findings in this survey:

For the first time, no cyanide was detected in the seawater, sediments and fish in Huangyan Dao and its surrounding waters;

For the first time, the pollution level of marine debris in this water was obtained, and its average density was relatively lower than other offshore waters in the world;

First survey recorded and analyzed the status of reef-dwelling fish in Huangyan Dao;

First quantitative survey and analysis of the giant clam’s density in this water, and other key ecological groups such as blue corals, fire corals, and soft corals were recorded.

Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the SCS was approved to be established in 2016, which is the only provincial and ministerial level Key Laboratory dedicated to coral reef research in China. Laboratory specializes in the system science study of coral reefs, facing major national needs and frontiers of discipline development, with a goal to build a China’s highest level coral reef research and talent training base. To date, our laboratory has a series of new scientific discoveries and published a relative high number of new academic viewpoints, which formed an integrated coral reef system science, including multiple disciplines such as theoretical research, technological development, and application services.

Participation in the compilation of “Report shows excellent environmental quality of Huangyan Dao area” is an essential practice for us to serve the major strategic needs to build China into a strong maritime country. In recent years, Guangxi University has focused on 4 major school-running characteristics of “Subtropical, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Ocean and Frontier Nationality”, and concentrated efforts on cultivating 4 specialities of “Long-span arched bridges, Sugarcane breeding, Coral reefs and space exploration". Implement the "Rooted in the Land of Guangxi, Serving National Development" action, execute the " Deeply Cultivate ASEAN, Focus Worldwide" international development strategy, and construct a "Double First-Class" university with Chinese characteristics rooted in Guanxi.

“Report shows excellent environmental quality of Huangyan Dao area” (Source: Marine Ecological Environment Research Center)

“Report shows excellent environmental quality of Huangyan Dao area” Chinese Version

“Report shows excellent environmental quality of Huangyan Dao area” English Version

Source: CCTV News; School of Marine Sciences, Guanxi University