Abstract
For their sheer beauty, species richness and multiplicity of biological interactions, coral reefs have few equals in the natural world. They are also highly productive systems in waters which are otherwise low in nutrients and phytoplankton. Their complex, wave-resistant structures are built almost entirely by biological activity. The dominant reef-forming organisms are the scleractinian ( = stony) corals which grow by means of an accretionary exoskeleton, but the lithifying (cementing) properties of crustose coralline algae, aided by the precipitation of magnesium carbonate particles from the water, are also very important in maintaining the structural integrity of the reef framework, especially in shallow waters.
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Boaden, P.J.S., Seed, R. (1985). Coral Reefs. In: An Introduction to Coastal Ecology. Tertiary Level Biology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7100-7_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7100-7_6
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