. Cold-water Coral Reefs: out of sight - no longer out of mind. UNEP-WCMC Biodiversity Series 22. Cold-water coral reefs common calcium carbonate frame. These structures form tfie complex three-dimensional habitat that provides a multitude of micro-niches for the associated animal community. The most spectacular reefs are constructed by stony corals down to depths of several hundred metres belovif sea level. These stony corals form colonies that vary tremendously In size from small, scattered colonies no more than a few metres in diameter to vast reef complexes measuring several tens of kilome
. Cold-water Coral Reefs: out of sight - no longer out of mind. UNEP-WCMC Biodiversity Series 22. Cold-water coral reefs common calcium carbonate frame. These structures form tfie complex three-dimensional habitat that provides a multitude of micro-niches for the associated animal community. The most spectacular reefs are constructed by stony corals down to depths of several hundred metres belovif sea level. These stony corals form colonies that vary tremendously In size from small, scattered colonies no more than a few metres in diameter to vast reef complexes measuring several tens of kilometres across. Such cold-water reefs are constructed by only a few coral species. In the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, Lophelia pertusa and Madrepore oculata are the most abundant reef builders. The continental slope off Atlantic Florida and North Carolina IS the home of reefs constructed by Oculina varicosa. In the southern hemisphere, especially around Tasmanlan and New Zealandlan seamounts and oceanic banks, Goniocorella dumosa and Soienosmitia variabilis are the most prominent reef-building species. Cold-water coral ecosystems are not exclusively the domain of stony corals. The North Pacific, for example, is known to harbour fabulous examples of soft coral ecosystems, the so-called octocoral gardens that are among the richest and most strikingly colourful communities found in deep waters at high latitudes. It IS only recently that we have begun to understand some of the complexities of these hidden cold-water coral. Lophelia growing on a lithoherm, Florida Strait ^1 ecosystems. Like their tropical counterparts, cold-water corals are home to thousands of other species. In particular animals like sponges, polychaetes lor bristle worms], crustaceans Icrabs, lobsters!, molluscs Iclams, snails, octopuses], echinoderms (starfish, sea urchins, brittle stars, feather stars], bryozoans (sea moss] and fish. Recent discoveries are changing our knowledge o
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