Republic of the Philippines

PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY

Camarines Sur

Caramoan Campus
MODULE III

CORAL REEF ZONATIONS

Name of student: ________________________________ Week Number: 4

Course Code: GEE2 Name of Faculty: Diana Rose R. Pesimo
Course Title: Indigenous People’s Study

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I. Objectives

At the end of this module, students are expected to:

• Discuss the coral reef zonation and its definition
• Understand the components of Coral Reefs
• Develop an understanding of the relationship of Corals and their components.

II. Lesson

Figure 1. Coral Reef Zones (Source: Reef2Reef)

Coral reefs are not uniform but are shaped by the forces of the sea and the structure of
the seafloor into a series of different parts or reef zones. Understanding these zones is useful in
understanding the ecology of coral reefs. Keep in mind that these zones can blend gradually into
one another and that sometimes a zone will be missing entirely. Coral reef ecosystems are also
interrelated with nearby terrestrial ecosystems, which may consist of tropical rainforests, coastal
lagoons, or small islands.

The main reef zones are: the lagoon, including the beach, mangroves, seagrass beds,
and patch reefs; the reef crest or flat; and the reef face

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Figure 2. Section of Coral Reef Zones (Source: SlidetoDoc.com)

LAGOON
Between the beach and the reef crest lies the protected, shallow waters of the lagoon.
This is a very rich, diverse zone and home to a variety of plant and animal life, including
mangroves, seagrasses, sponges, conchs (pronounced “kongk”), sea urchins, fish, spiny
lobsters, sea turtles, and small sharks.

Beach: On the land side of the lagoon a sandy

beach is often found, formed by waves washing ground-
up coral skeletons, animals and plants onto the shore.
Some animals use the beach habitat for reproduction.
Sea turtles climb up the beach at night to lay up to 100
eggs in the warm sand and some of the shorebirds,
such as crested terns, use the beach for their nesting
ground Other birds rest on the beach during their
migrations north and south, while some feed there.
Figure 3. Turtle Hatchlings found in El Nido,
Palawan (Source: Phys.org)

Mangroves: Mangroves are often found in the transitional area between land and water. These
trees are fairly unique because they thrive in
seawater. Growing quickly, about 2 feet (60cm) in
the first year, some mangroves have specialized
seed pods, called propagules, that grow on the end
of roots that drop down from the canopy of the tree.
When the pods ripen, they fall into the mud and send
out roots to start a new tree. Mangroves also have
prop roots that stick out from the water, absorbing
oxygen and preventing the underwater roots from
suffocating. Mangroves are very important for
several reasons:

• They help in the process of claiming land from the

sea and in protecting the coastline because their
roots trap and consolidate sediments that would
otherwise be washed back out by waves.
• Droppings from resident birds and falling plant
material enrich the soil below, increasing its capacity
to support other plant life.
• They serve as an important habitat for many
different species of animals. Their complex tangle of
Figure 4. Mangroves and other Marine roots and branches provides an excellent place for
Species (Source: Medium.com) animals to feed, rest, mate, and give birth.

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PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
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Seagrass: Seagrasses are a group of marine

plants that grow on the sandy floor of the lagoon, most
often amid the patch reefs. They serve both as a
protective nursery for numerous species of reef fish
and as a rich source of food for adult fish who hide on
the coral reef during the day and venture into the
seagrass beds at night to feed. Only a few animals,
such as the sea turtle, trunkfish, and sea cow (called
a dugong in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and a
manatee in the Atlantic and Caribbean), can be seen
cruising between the seagrass and the coral reef Figure 5. Dugong feeding from Seagrass (Source:
during the day WWF)

Patch Reef: Some lagoons also contain fairly

flat, circular, or oval islands of coral, called patch
reefs, which are surrounded by sand and seagrass.
They vary greatly in size, from that of a small car to
larger than a football field. The diversity of marine life
also varies greatly depending upon the size of the
reef. Usually, the larger the patch reef, the greater the
diversity. Some of the marine life that exists on or
around the patch reef are fish, sea stars, sea turtles,
sea cucumbers, and mollusks, such as clams and
conchs. Sea cucumbers, which resemble giant slugs,
move slowly across the seafloor, extracting food from Figure 6. Aerial view of Patch Reef (Source: Tony
the sediment in the sand and processing large Rath Photography)
quantities of it through their long tubular bodies.

Did You
Know?

The green turtle is a vegetarian and feeds only on seagrass. Unfortunately, like other sea
turtles around the world, it is endangered. Each year, large numbers of sea turtles are caught
and pools a few inches above sea level are sometimes formed on the reef crest. These pools
are constantly replenished with seawater and are home to crabs, small fish, sea urchins,
worms, sea stars, and marine snails, among other creatures. These animals are also found
on other parts of the reef.

Figure 7. Image of Green Sea Turtle (Source: National Wildlife Foundation)

REEF CREST

The reef crest is the highest (shallowest) part of the entire reef, and the most easily visible from
above the surface of the sea. It can be identified from the shore or air as a brownish band
highlighted by a line of white breaking waves along its outer edge. Low tides and waves often
expose portions of the reef crest, and storms crash against it, breaking off coral branches and
plates. For this reason, fewer species of coral are present here compared to further down on the

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PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

reef face. Still, the reef crest is home to many plants and animals, including parrotfish, barnacles,
and coralline algae.

Figure 8. Spur and groove reef formation (Source: livingoceansfoundations.org)

In the Pacific and Indian Oceans, this zone can be dominated by calcareous (composed
of calcium carbonate CaCO3) coralline red algae. In cases such as these, the zone is often
referred to as the algal ridge. These hard algae are found in elevated ridges as well as spur and
groove reef formations that extend seaward. Spurs refer to the areas that form parallel ridges of
coral growth, while grooves separate these ridges and contain sediment and coral rubble that has
eroded from the spurs.

REEF FACE
Most corals thrive in the intermediate zone of the reef front between 15-65 feet (5-20
meters) deep. This is where the greatest diversity of corals exist. In both shallower and deeper
parts of this zone, diversity declines and some corals have adapted to living at specific depths.
Corals in this intermediate zone are exposed to relatively low wave action and light. Often, corals
modify their growth forms in order to survive in different zones.

The seaward facing slope of the

reef is called the reef face and may be
divided into two parts, upper and lower.
The upper zone is more brightly lit by the
sun and is home to a tremendous
diversity of reef life, such as hard and soft
corals, sponges, clownfish and sea
anemones, lobster, butterflyfish,
angelfish, trunkfish, damselfish, sea
stars, clams, lionfish, parrotfish,
mollusks, sea turtles and much more.
Zooplankton (microscopic drifting
animals) and phytoplankton (microscopic
drifting plants) are swept into the reef face
by upwelling currents from deeper parts
of the ocean, supplying the reef life with
easy access to food. This zone consists of Figure 9. Reef front in clear water (Source: coral.org)
gentle slopes which extend from about 10
to 15 feet (3 to 5m) to around 60 to 70 feet (18 to 22m) in depth.

Figure 11. Samples of Zooplankton Figure 10. Heteractis magnifica Figure 12. Scaridae (Parrot Fish)
(Source: MarineBio Conservation Source: Phys.org
Society)

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The lower zone begins where the reef face starts to drop off. On some reefs, this area is
characterized by spur-and-groove formations (high ridges of coral divided by sand channels or
grooves) that run perpendicular to the shore. On other reefs, the face drops off sharply, plunging
vertically hundreds of feet into the depths of the sea where it becomes too dark for reef-building
coral to grow. Some of the marine life found living in this area are soft corals, moray eels, sharks,
manta rays, and eagle rays.
Did You
Know?

Some coral species can take on different shapes in different areas. Near the top of the
reef face, they can grow short and fat in order to withstand constant wave action and all but
the heaviest of storms. Further down the face where the water is calmer, these same corals
develop thinner branches or large plate-like forms in order to receive as much light as possible
for their zooxanthellae

BACK REEF

The back reef is an area that slopes into a lagoon. The back reef is often shallow and
more protected from wave action. It can be exposed to air during low tide. Isolated patch reefs
often exist here as well as coral rubble.

Figure 13. The red arrow is pointing to the back reef of the atoll in Tuamotu, French Polynesia. It is the area of
turquoise water. (Source: livingoceansfoundation.org)

ZONATION PATTERNS

Fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls may have different characteristics, yet, they have
similar zonation patterns. A fringing reef does not have a lagoon or a back reef. The reef flat
extends from the shoreline, ending at the reef crest. The reef front is found on the oceanic side of
the reef crest.

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PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

Figure 14. Cross-Section of Fringing Reef (Source: livingoceanfoundations.org)

Barrier reefs are separated from land by a lagoon. The reef crest is bordered by the back reef, on
the shore side, and the reef front, on the oceanic side (when there is no reef flat). Barrier reefs
can have a reef flat that is found between the back reef and reef crest.

Figure 15. Cross-section of Barrier Reef (Source: livingoceansfoundation.org)

Remember that atolls are a somewhat circular shape. In the center of the atoll is a lagoon,
which can be completely enclosed by land or partially surrounded, allowing for water to flow in
and out of the lagoon through channels. Most of the reef is on the outside of the atoll. In atolls,
reef flats can be found on the ocean-facing side of land or next to the back reef. The reef front is
found on the outer, oceanic side of the atoll. There can be a back reef on the inner part of the atoll
that slopes into a lagoon.

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III. ACTIVITY

1. Label the missing parts.

2. Describe the different zonation patterns for different types of reefs.

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3. What are the different types of zonation in the coral reef? Explain each briefly.
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IV. ASSESSMENT
List down different species that can be found in each Coral Reef Zones.
Lagoon Back Reef Reef Crest Fore Reef Reef Slope

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V. REFERENCES

Coral Reef Alliance. (2022). Coral Reefs 101: Types of Coral Reefs Formation. Retrieved from
https://coral.org/en/coral-reefs-101/types-of-coral-reef-formations/
De Vera, D. E. (2017). Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines: A Country Case Study. Hanoi,
Vietnam.
Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation. (2022). Coral Reef Ecology Curriculum. Retrieved
from https://www.livingoceansfoundation.org/education/portal/for-teachers/course-
resources/
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. (2019, February 1). NOAA. Retrieved from
https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/marine-life/coral-reef-ecosystems

Image References:

Figure 1. Coral Reef Zones (Source: Reef2Reef) .......................................................................... 1

Figure 2. Section of Coral Reef Zones (Source: SlidetoDoc.com) ................................................ 2
Figure 3. Turtle Hatchlings found in El Nido, Palawan (Source: Phys.org) ................................... 2
Figure 4. Mangroves and other Marine Species (Source: Medium.com) ...................................... 2
Figure 5. Dugong feeding from Seagrass (Source: WWF) ............................................................ 3
Figure 6. Aerial view of Patch Reef (Source: Tony Rath Photography) ........................................ 3
Figure 7. Image of Green Sea Turtle (Source: National Wildlife Foundation) ............................... 3
Figure 8. Spur and groove reef formation (Source: livingoceansfoundations.org) ........................ 4
Figure 9. Reef front in clear water (Source: coral.org) ................................................................... 4
Figure 10. Heteractis magnifica Source: Phys.org ......................................................................... 4
Figure 11. Samples of Zooplankton (Source: MarineBio Conservation Society) .......................... 4
Figure 12. Scaridae (Parrot Fish) ................................................................................................... 4
Figure 13. The red arrow is pointing to the back reef of the atoll in Tuamotu, French Polynesia. It
is the area of turquoise water. (Source: livingoceansfoundation.org) ........................................... 5
Figure 14. Cross-Section of Fringing Reef (Source: livingoceanfoundations.org) ........................ 6
Figure 15. Cross-section of Barrier Reef (Source: livingoceansfoundation.org) ........................... 6

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