Marine biodiversity in Ha Long bay and Cat Ba archipelago

Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago, Vietnam's largest limestone island system, exhibits exceptional marine biodiversity with 4,622 species of plants and animals, including 16 on the Vietnam Red List and 114 on the IUCN List. This diversity spans seven tropical limestone ecosystems—rainforest, cave, mangrove, tidal, coral reef, and soft-bottom—highlighting its global conservation value under UNESCO criteria (ix and x). The study, analyzing both terrestrial and marine species distribution, underscores the site's potential as a World Heritage Site due to its high endemism and rare species presence. Research involved systematic species documentation, emphasizing ecological significance for heritage designation.

Thung, D. C., Ngai, N. D., Thao, D. V., Sinh, N. V., & Dong, D. M. (2019). Marine biodiversity in Ha Long bay and Cat Ba archipelago. Tạp Chí Khoa Học Và Công Nghệ Biển, 19(3), 363–369. https://doi.org/10.15625/1859-3097/19/3/13174