Cold-water coral reefs - WWF UK
Cold-water coral reefs - WWF UK
Cold-water coral reefs - WWF UK
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<strong>Cold</strong>-<strong>water</strong> <strong>coral</strong> <strong>reefs</strong><br />
Table 4: Major <strong>coral</strong>-topped carbonate mound provinces<br />
Mound province Geographic area Depth (m) Framework- References<br />
constructing <strong>coral</strong>s<br />
Belgica Mounds Eastern Porcupine Seabight, 600-900 Lophelia pertusa De Mol et al., 2002<br />
northeast Atlantic Madrepora oculata Van Rooij et al., 2003<br />
Hovland Mounds Northern Porcupine Seabight, 725-900 Lophelia pertusa Hovland et al., 1994<br />
northeast Atlantic Madrepora oculata De Mol et al., 2002<br />
Pelagia Mounds Southeastern Rockall Trough, 650-950 Lophelia pertusa Kenyon et al., 2003<br />
northeast Atlantic Madrepora oculata van Weering et al., 2003<br />
Logachev Mounds Southwestern Rockall Trough, 550-1 200 Lophelia pertusa Kenyon et al., 2003<br />
northeast Atlantic Madrepora oculata van Weering et al., 2003<br />
Darwin Mounds Northern Rockall Trough, 950-1 000 Lophelia pertusa Masson et al., 2003<br />
northeast Atlantic<br />
Madrepora oculata<br />
Chinguetti Oilfield Off Mauritania, central 450-550 Lophelia pertusa Colman et al., in press<br />
northeast Atlantic<br />
Madrepora oculata<br />
Solenosmilia variabilis<br />
Campos Basin Mounds Off southeast Brazil 570-850 Lophelia pertusa Viana et al., 1998<br />
southeast Brazil (Table 4). The mounds form isolated or<br />
clustered seabed elevations measuring up to 350 m in<br />
height in the depth interval of 600 to 900 m corresponding<br />
to the mid-slope of the continental margin (Figure 11).<br />
Mound formation started several million years ago but the<br />
causes remain unclear.<br />
Almost all these giant mounds are draped with<br />
<strong>coral</strong> reef patches of L. pertusa and M. oculata; the reef<br />
patches form a low-relief framework approximately 1 m<br />
thick. Locally dense populations of the stony <strong>coral</strong><br />
Desmophyllum dianthus occur, and between the <strong>coral</strong><br />
patches are areas rich in gorgonians and stylasterid<br />
lace <strong>coral</strong>s. The rate at which new discoveries of <strong>coral</strong>covered<br />
carbonate mounds have been made indicate<br />
that they are widespread in continental margin settings<br />
and there are likely to be many more waiting to<br />
be found.<br />
Oculina <strong>reefs</strong><br />
The ivory tree <strong>coral</strong> Oculina varicosa builds <strong>reefs</strong> that are<br />
similar in structure to those of Lophelia. Their geographic<br />
occurrence is restricted to a relatively small strip off<br />
central eastern Florida at 70 to 100 m depth, underneath<br />
the flow of the Gulf Stream (Reed, 2002b). The <strong>reefs</strong> form<br />
pinnacles and ridges that are up to 35 m in height and<br />
provide habitat for a great diversity of invertebrates and<br />
fish. In 1984, a 315 km 2 area was designated the Oculina<br />
Habitat of Particular Concern in order to protect the <strong>coral</strong><br />
from bottom trawling and anchoring; the area was<br />
expanded to 1 029 km 2 in 2000.<br />
Enallopsammia <strong>reefs</strong><br />
Little information on <strong>reefs</strong> formed by Enallopsammia<br />
species exists. E. profunda builds extensive frameworks<br />
with L. pertusa as associate on the outer edge of the<br />
John Reed, HBOI<br />
Tony Koslow, CSIRO<br />
A school of groupers in a deep-<strong>water</strong> Oculina reef off<br />
eastern Florida<br />
Solenosmilia variabilis framework matrix from a south<br />
Tasmanian seamount, with associated faunal community<br />
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