Reef Zonation and Barrier Reef Profile Succession

Environmental Factors Shaping Disclaimer Coral Reefs (Geomorphology) and Contributng to Reef Zonation The terms used to identify different • Water Motion reef zones are not based upon a • Depth (light & water motion) uniform agreement among reef uniform agreement among reef • Sedimentation scientists There are variations among different literature sources regarding • Proximity to Land the naming of reef zones • Relative Sea Level Change – Eustatic Sea Level Change – Isostatic Sea Level Change

Lagoon

Reef Flat of a BarrierCoral Reef FringingShoreline Reef (Cay or Motu)

Reef Flat

Reef Flat

Reef Front Reef Front

Open Ocean

1 Reef Front in a High Energy Reef Front in a Low Energy Environment Environment

Algal Ridge

Microatoll on Shallow Reef Flat Flat Microatoll on Shallow Reef Flat

Land Patch Reefs in Kaneohe Bay Algal Ridge

Reef Flat Patch Reefs at Eniwetok

Lagoon

Barrier Reef

2 Lagoon Buttress Zone of the Upper Reef Flat of a BarrierCoral Island Reef Reef Slope (Cay or Motu)

Spurs or Buttresses Grooves Reef Flat

Reef Front

Reef Front Open Ocean

Upper Reef Slope of a High Upper Reef Slope Energy Environment

Upper Reef Slope of a Lower Energy Environment

Leeward Reefs Versus Windward Reefs

3 Ecological Succession

New Bare Substrate Ecological Succession Colonizing Stage

The progressive change in the Successionist Stage species composition of an ecosystem. Climax Stage

Ecological Ecological Succession Succession

Ecological Ecological Succession Succession

4 Ecological Ecological Succession Succession

Ecological Ecological Succession on a Succession

Ecological Succession on a Coral Reef Ecological Succession on a Coral Reef

5 Ecological Succession on a Coral Reef Ecological Succession on a Coral Reef

Ecological Succession on a Coral Reef Ecological Succession on a Coral Reef

Ecological Succession on a Coral Reef Ecological Succession on a Coral Reef

6 Successional Models and their Successional Models and their Impacts Impacts • No Disturbance (Competitive Exclusion Model)

• Occasional Strong Disturbance (Intermediate Disturbance Model)

• Constant Strong Disturbance (Colonial Model)

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