Page 151 - Florida and the US Caribbean Isles

The Mid Reef: Nature’s Wonder

The Mid Reef or alternately referred to as plat- to huge, sprawling reefs. They are widespread
form reef is characterized by a primarily radial throughout the coastal zone of Meso-American
growth pattern. A platform reef may or may not Barrier Reef and numerous Caribbean islands.

lie behind a barrier reef and may undergo elon- The Mid Reef is found in deeper waters than the

gation if established on a sandbank. These reefs patch reefs of near-shore environments at depths

reside in 30 to 50 feet of water and are home to 20-60 feet. Bank reefs are significantly larger than

massive sea life and a wide biosphere. These reefs patch reefs and are common dive and snorkel

begin by growing towards the surface of the destinations and have high species diversity,

ocean, eventually spreading out sideways. Reefs meaning many kinds of animals and plants live

grow actively outward as well as upward, espe- on and around this type of reef. Bank reefs have

cially in the stable conditions of a continental something special called spur and groove pat-

shelf. Any given reef, having depth and tempera- terns. The spur and groove formation is made up

ture fixed by its location, will have its shape deter- of low ridges of corals (spurs) separated by sandy

mined by the direction and force of the water cur- bottom channels (grooves). The most commonly

rents that bring food and by the shape of the base found corals are elkhorn, staghorn, seafans, sea

on which it grows. Where the forces of growth are whips and brain corals.

equal in all directions, radial expansion results in
Cplatform like reefs. With further radial growth, la-
orals reproduce both sexually and asexually.
goonal platform reefs develop. The shape of an An individual polyp uses both reproductive

elongated platform reef may be determined by modes within its lifetime. Corals reproduce sexu-

the orientation of rising and falling tidal currents. ally by either internal or external fertilization.

Platform reefs range from small clumps of coral