BankReefs

Bank Reefs

Discussion

Morphology and Ecology

• Coral forms into clusters that are often larger than similar coral formations such as patch reefs.
• Bank reefs have a high species diversity living in and around them as is typical for most coral reefs.
• These are unique in that they exhibit spur and groove patterns.
  • Spurs are low ridges of coral.
  • Grooves are the sandy bottom channels that separate the spurs.
• Consist of elkhorn, seafans, staghorn, sea whips, and brain coral.

Location

• Found at deeper depths than other coral formations at 20-60 feet down.
• An example of one such formation is off the central east coast of Florida. Here Oculina varicosa is known to form bank reefs from the sea floor.

Notes

Jaap, Walter C. "Corals and Coral Reefs." Water: Science and Issues 1 (2003): 212-20. GVRL. Cengage Learning. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.

"Cool Things: Bank Reef." Web World Wonders. Apache, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. <http://webworld.freac.fsu.edu/cameras/keys/cool/bankreef.htm>.

"Coral Reefs." Nature Foundation St. Maarten, 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. <http://www.naturefoundationsxm.org/education/coral_reefs/coral_reefs.htm>.

"Bank Reef." South Florida Aquatic Environments. FLMNH Ichthyology Department, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. <https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/southflorida/coral/bankreef.html>.