Corals: mesophotic reef comparison
- Vector Art
- Betsy Boynton
Types of reef ecosystems and their depth ranges (after Lesser et al., 2009). Shallow reefs are characterized by multiple species of photosynthetic corals, sponges, and algae. Mesophotic reefs have a lower diversity in terms of species composition, but typically have higher percentages of coral cover.
Olson, J.B., and Kellogg, C.A., 2010, Microbial ecology of corals, sponges, and algae in mesophotic coral environments: FEMS Microbiology Ecology, v. 73, no. 1, p. 17–30.