Coral 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 Island 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 Fringing Reef 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 Coral Reef
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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