Coral bioherms below the euphotic zone in the Red Sea
- 1 January 1983
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Inter-Research Science Center in Marine Ecology Progress Series
- Vol. 11 (2) , 113-117
- https://doi.org/10.3354/meps011113
Abstract
During exploration of the narrow western shelf in the Gulf of Aqaba by means of the research submersible ''GEO'', bioherms formed by the stony coral Madracis interjecta were discovered between 120 m and at least 200 m depth. The growth of the bioherms is supposed to be linked to the particularly warm-temperature regime of the Gulf of Aqaba; distribution depends probably on current patterns (providing nutrients), submarine topography and availability of hard substrate. The absence of symbiotic algae below the euphotic zone does not hamper the building of bioherms by stony corals. The Madracis-bioherms are true reefs in as much as the bioherms are surrounded by selected detrific facies types similar to ordinary, sheltered patch reefs in the photic zones.This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- The distribution of the coral Lophelia pertusa (L.) [L. prolifera (Pallas)] in the north-east AtlanticJournal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 1979
- ‘Patch’ development of the deep-water coral Lophelia Pertusa (L.) on Rockall BankJournal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 1979
- Nutrients and biomass distribution in the Gulf of Aqaba (Elat), Red SeaMarine Biology, 1978