Project Methods

Zones

Bank/Shelf:

Deep water area (relative to the shallow water in a lagoon) extending offshore from the seaward edge of the fore reef to the beginning of the escarpment where the insular shelf drops off into deep, oceanic water. The bank/shelf is the flattened platform between the fore reef and deep open ocean waters or between the shoreline/intertidal zone and open ocean if no reef crest is present.

Typical Habitats:

• sand
• patch reefs
• algae
• seagrass
• linear reef
• colonized and uncolonized pavement
• colonized and uncolonized pavement with sand channels
• other coral reef habitats