Natural Coral Reef Geographical Locations

Jakarta

Jakarta is located on the island of Java where the climate is equatorial and modified by the monsoonal wind system. When rainfall is heavy the salinity in the Java Sea can approach 30 ppt. Surface water temperatures are generally around 27-28 C, except where there are cold water upwellings like those that occur south of Java. Reefs fringe parts of the southern coastline of Java and several islands in the Java Sea. Some of the reefs in the Java Sea were affected by the abnormal El Nino of 1983. Seawater temperatures rose as much as 5 C above normal and caused some coral mortality. Reefs have also suffered damage from dynamite fish blasting, inappropiate fishing methods and coral mining. The mining is done to produce limestone and lime. Many species of Reef Building Stony Corals have been exported from the Jakarta area. Some very exotic and colorful species are found in this region. Multi colored Acropora millepora can be found here. Some whole colony species that have been exported in the past lacked colorful pigmentation, but this was due to the long trip from outlying captive reef locations. The corals that do loose color can quickly regain it in captivity if conditions are right. In recent years many farming operations have begun and we have seen some very colorful cultured stony corals imported into the US.