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Reef Formation and Growth: Ecological Controls in the Reef Environment

Explore the ecological controls influencing reef development, including nutrient supply, oligotrophic vs eutrophic environments, and limiting factors like temperature, light, and salinity. Dive into reef construction processes, framework builders, and reef sediments like coral fragments, foraminifera, Halimeda, sponge spicules, and more.

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Reef Formation and Growth: Ecological Controls in the Reef Environment

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  1. Reefs Formation and Growth I

  2. Ecological controls over reef development The Environment of the Reef • Nutrient supply: • Oligotrophic environment- nutrient poor • Shallow waters where most reefs develop • Low abundance of food • Hermatypic corals need symbiont • Eutrophic- nutrient rich • Dominated by phytoplankton production • Reduces light for coral symbiont • Not necessarily beneficial

  3. Oligotrophic vs Eutrophic

  4. Limiting factors for reef development: • Temperature • 18-32oC • Light • Symbiont • Corals thrive in shallow waters where light intensity is the strongest • Hermatypic corals <30m • Salinity • Ave 35 ppt • 28-38 ppt; corals have a difficult time developing at extreme salinity

  5. Reef Growth = Reef Construction minus Reef Erosion

  6. Reef Construction Process • Framework Building • Sediment Production • Cementation

  7. Principle Framework Builders • Scleractinian Corals • Non-Scleractinian Corals • Coraline Algae

  8. Scleractinian Coral Framework Builders

  9. Non-Scleractinian Coral Framework Builders fire coral

  10. Coralline Algae Framework Builders

  11. Other Framework Builders giant clam

  12. Reef Sediments • Fragmented Coral and Coraline Algae • Foraminifera Skeletons • Halimeda “Dust” • Sponge Spicules • Other Skeletal Debris • Inorganic Precipitation

  13. Reef Sediments: Foraminifera

  14. Reef Sediments: Halimeda Sand Reef Sediments: Halimeda Sand

  15. Reef Sediments: Sponge Spicules

  16. Reef Sediments: Other Skeletal Remains cone shell

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