Researchers find red algae is perishing in the Kenting area

Lin Mei-shiu, a professor of National Taiwan Ocean University's Marine Biology department, issued the warning at a presentation of results of her long-time research regarding red algae in the two regions at the university.

There are 4,000 known species of red algae, often present in tropical marine waters, and there are only a few species in fresh water. Red algae are specialized plants with peculiar properties and are studied by specialists.

According to Lin, long-term over-development and high temperatures in the summer have caused algae habitats and many types of algae to disappear. Since 2007, an obvious reduction in diversity of the plant has severely damaged the growing environment of coral reefs, she added.

Since 1992, growth periods of red algae and brown gracilaria that were often seen in the two regions have noticeably varied and their length have become shorter.

During the 1992-1994 period, many types of algae could be found in waters off the Kenting areas from autumn to spring, while in the northeastern region, red algae were frequently seen year round except for autumn, Lin explained.

Now in the Kenting area, algae can only be seen sporadically in the winter, while algae growing in northeastern Taiwan is seen during shorter periods and in fewer months. These signs are solid evidence that Taiwan's ecology has come under serious threat as a result of increased global warming coupled with inadequate protection efforts, Lin said. She called for greater public attention on the issue because Taiwan is a high-risk country amid drastic climate changes across the world.

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