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    Zones: Seawater Sediments Upwelling Great Barrier Reef Maldives

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    Ivanciuc Adrian
    The three major zones of a coral reef are: 1) The fore reef, which is the zone above the reef floor or drop-off and is often the most diverse area hosting coral and algae. 2) The reef crest, which is the shallowest and most agitated part of the reef where conditions are suitable for coral growth. 3) The back reef, also called the reef lagoon, which is an enclosed area less affected by wave action that often contains small reef patches.

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    Zones: Seawater Sediments Upwelling Great Barrier Reef Maldives

    Uploaded by

    Ivanciuc Adrian
    24 views2 pages
    The three major zones of a coral reef are: 1) The fore reef, which is the zone above the reef floor or drop-off and is often the most diverse area hosting coral and algae. 2) The reef crest, which is the shallowest and most agitated part of the reef where conditions are suitable for coral growth. 3) The back reef, also called the reef lagoon, which is an enclosed area less affected by wave action that often contains small reef patches.

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    The three major zones of a coral reef are: 1) The fore reef, which is the zone above the reef floor or drop-off and is often the most diverse area hosting coral and algae. 2) The reef crest, which is the shallowest and most agitated part of the reef where conditions are suitable for coral growth. 3) The back reef, also called the reef lagoon, which is an enclosed area less affected by wave action that often contains small reef patches.

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    24 views2 pages

    Zones: Seawater Sediments Upwelling Great Barrier Reef Maldives

    Uploaded by

    Ivanciuc Adrian
    The three major zones of a coral reef are: 1) The fore reef, which is the zone above the reef floor or drop-off and is often the most diverse area hosting coral and algae. 2) The reef crest, which is the shallowest and most agitated part of the reef where conditions are suitable for coral growth. 3) The back reef, also called the reef lagoon, which is an enclosed area less affected by wave action that often contains small reef patches.

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    Zones

    The three major zones of a coral reef: the fore reef, reef crest, and the back reef

    Coral reef ecosystems contain distinct zones that host different kinds of habitats. Usually, three
    major zones are recognized: the fore reef, reef crest, and the back reef (frequently referred to as the
    reef lagoon).
    The three zones are physically and ecologically interconnected. Reef life and oceanic processes
    create opportunities for the exchange of seawater, sediments, nutrients and marine life.
    Most coral reefs exist in waters less than 50 m deep. Some inhabit tropical continental shelves
    where cool, nutrient-rich upwelling does not occur, such as the Great Barrier Reef. Others are found
    in the deep ocean surrounding islands or as atolls, such as in the Maldives. The reefs surrounding
    islands form when islands subside into the ocean, and atolls form when an island subsides below
    the surface of the sea.
    Alternatively, Moyle and Cech distinguish six zones, though most reefs possess only some of the
    zones.[50]

    Water in the reef surface zone is often agitated. This diagram represents a reef on a continental shelf. The
    water waves at the left travel over the off-reef floor until they encounter the reef slope or fore reef. Then the
    waves pass over the shallow reef crest. When a wave enters shallow water it shoals, that is, it slows down and
    the wave height increases.

    The reef surface is the shallowest part of the reef. It is subject to surge and tides. When waves
    pass over shallow areas, they shoal, as shown in the adjacent diagram. This means the water is
    often agitated. These are the precise condition under which corals flourish. The light is sufficient
    for photosynthesis by the symbiotic zooxanthellae, and agitated water brings plankton to feed the
    coral.
    The off-reef floor is the shallow sea floor surrounding a reef. This zone occurs next to reefs on
    continental shelves. Reefs around tropical islands and atolls drop abruptly to great depths and do
    not have such a floor. Usually sandy, the floor often supports seagrass meadows which are
    important foraging areas for reef fish.
    The reef drop-off is, for its first 50 m, habitat for reef fish who find shelter on the cliff face
    and plankton in the water nearby. The drop-off zone applies mainly to the reefs surrounding oceanic
    islands and atolls.
    The reef face is the zone above the reef floor or the reef drop-off. This zone is often the reef's most
    diverse area. Coral and calcareous algae provide complex habitats and areas that offer protection,
    such as cracks and crevices. Invertebrates and epiphytic algae provide much of the food for other
    organisms.[50] A common feature on this forereef zone is spur and groove formations that serve to
    transport sediment downslope.
    The reef flat is the sandy-bottomed flat, which can be behind the main reef, containing chunks of
    coral. This zone may border a lagoon and serve as a protective area, or it may lie between the reef
    and the shore, and in this case is a flat, rocky area. Fish tend to prefer it when it is present. [50]
    The reef lagoon is an entirely enclosed region, which creates an area less affected by wave action
    and often contains small reef patches.[50]
    However, the "topography of coral reefs is constantly changing. Each reef is made up of irregular
    patches of algae, sessile invertebrates, and bare rock and sand. The size, shape and relative
    abundance of these patches change from year to year in response to the various factors that favor
    one type of patch over another. Growing coral, for example, produces constant change in the fine
    structure of reefs. On a larger scale, tropical storms may knock out large sections of reef and cause
    boulders on sandy areas to move." [51]

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