IUCN Red List of Ecosystems: Coral Reefs of East Asia
Abstract
East Asian coral reefs extend from 13.9°S to 31.0°N across 16 countries and territories, covering an estimated 75,765 km² of shallow coral reef habitat, representing 30.3% of the global coral reef extent and encompassing 25 coral reef ecoregions. Of this, 35,620 km² of mapped coral reef was assessed in this study. The region hosts the worldwide highest diversity of corals, invertebrates and fish, notably in the Coral Triangle, as well as the highest area of coral reefs and is characterized by an extraordinary level of endemism. These ecosystems face increasing pressure from unsustainable fishing practices, coastal development, maritime pollution, rising sea levels and climate change. The IUCN Red List of Ecosystems assessment, drawing on reef monitoring data from 1983 to 2025 compiled through the GCRMN East Asia network, combined with data obtained from the MERMAID data portal and the Reef Life Survey dataset, found that coral reefs within all of the 25 ecoregions assessed are at a high risk of collapse and are classified as Critically Endangered across all criteria. This overall result was primarily driven by future ocean warming projections. Based on historical declines and present conditions alone, 22 ecoregions are assessed as threatened, with five of them considered Critically Endangered. This was mainly due to recurrent heat stress as well as depleted parrotfish and grouper populations. These results emphasize the urgent need for climate mitigation and the promotion of sustainable fishing practices to safeguard the region’s coral reefs.
Related
BibTeX
@misc{fluckiger2026iucn,
title = {{IUCN Red List of Ecosystems: Coral Reefs of East Asia}},
author = {Georg Valentin Flückiger and Danwei Huang and Ray Jing Tong and James Philip de Vera Cabatbat and Rickdane Gomez and Lucas Yutaka Kimura and Chin Soon Lionel Ng and Tadashi Kimura and Karenne Tun and Loke Ming Chou and Hui Huang and Jiansheng Lian and Lintao Huang and Lei Jiang and Apple Pui Yi Chui and Put Ang Jr. and Chaolun Allen Chen and Ya-Yi Huang and Chao-Yang Kuo and Takashi Nakamura and Yuko Kitano and Taihun Kim and Heung-sik Park and Frederick Chong and Leonora Yeo and Ouk Vibol and Rikoh Manogar Siringoringo and Giyanto Giyanto and Muhammad Abrar and Rizkie Satriya Utama and Yang Amri Affendi and Zarinah Waheed and Hin Boo Wee and Zau Lunn and Cleto Lema Nañola Jr. and Maria Vanessa Baria-Rodriguez and Rhea Mae Luciano and Tai Chong Toh and Thamasak Yeemin and Makamas Sutthacheep and Van Long Nguyen and Minh Quang Thai and Si Tuan Vo and Franz Smith and Mishal Gudka},
howpublished = {EcoEvoRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.32942/x2210k},
url = {https://ecoevorxiv.org/repository/view/15669/},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - IUCN Red List of Ecosystems: Coral Reefs of East Asia
AU - Georg Valentin Flückiger
AU - Danwei Huang
AU - Ray Jing Tong
AU - James Philip de Vera Cabatbat
AU - Rickdane Gomez
AU - Lucas Yutaka Kimura
AU - Chin Soon Lionel Ng
AU - Tadashi Kimura
AU - Karenne Tun
AU - Loke Ming Chou
AU - Hui Huang
AU - Jiansheng Lian
AU - Lintao Huang
AU - Lei Jiang
AU - Apple Pui Yi Chui
AU - Put Ang Jr.
AU - Chaolun Allen Chen
AU - Ya-Yi Huang
AU - Chao-Yang Kuo
AU - Takashi Nakamura
AU - Yuko Kitano
AU - Taihun Kim
AU - Heung-sik Park
AU - Frederick Chong
AU - Leonora Yeo
AU - Ouk Vibol
AU - Rikoh Manogar Siringoringo
AU - Giyanto Giyanto
AU - Muhammad Abrar
AU - Rizkie Satriya Utama
AU - Yang Amri Affendi
AU - Zarinah Waheed
AU - Hin Boo Wee
AU - Zau Lunn
AU - Cleto Lema Nañola Jr.
AU - Maria Vanessa Baria-Rodriguez
AU - Rhea Mae Luciano
AU - Tai Chong Toh
AU - Thamasak Yeemin
AU - Makamas Sutthacheep
AU - Van Long Nguyen
AU - Minh Quang Thai
AU - Si Tuan Vo
AU - Franz Smith
AU - Mishal Gudka
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
PB - EcoEvoRxiv
DO - 10.32942/x2210k
UR - https://ecoevorxiv.org/repository/view/15669/
AB - East Asian coral reefs extend from 13.9°S to 31.0°N across 16 countries and territories, covering an estimated 75,765 km² of shallow coral reef habitat, representing 30.3% of the global coral reef extent and encompassing 25 coral reef ecoregions. Of this, 35,620 km² of mapped coral reef was assessed in this study. The region hosts the worldwide highest diversity of corals, invertebrates and fish, notably in the Coral Triangle, as well as the highest area of coral reefs and is characterized by an extraordinary level of endemism. These ecosystems face increasing pressure from unsustainable fishing practices, coastal development, maritime pollution, rising sea levels and climate change. The IUCN Red List of Ecosystems assessment, drawing on reef monitoring data from 1983 to 2025 compiled through the GCRMN East Asia network, combined with data obtained from the MERMAID data portal and the Reef Life Survey dataset, found that coral reefs within all of the 25 ecoregions assessed are at a high risk of collapse and are classified as Critically Endangered across all criteria. This overall result was primarily driven by future ocean warming projections. Based on historical declines and present conditions alone, 22 ecoregions are assessed as threatened, with five of them considered Critically Endangered. This was mainly due to recurrent heat stress as well as depleted parrotfish and grouper populations. These results emphasize the urgent need for climate mitigation and the promotion of sustainable fishing practices to safeguard the region’s coral reefs.
ER -