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For the purpose of this overview, the coastal marine habitats of Dominica have been classified into the following categories: |
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TRUE
CORAL REEFS
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Fringing
Reefs Shallow: in shallow waters (< 5m) close to shore.
Primarily found along the the north and east Coast.
Click on image for further details .>>> |
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Fringing
Reefs Deep: in deeper waters (> 5 m) off shore. Primarily
found along the north coast and the central region of the west coast.
Click on image for further details .>>> |
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Oligospecific
Assemblages: primarily found in waters deeper than 5 m, along
the west coast. The largest intact areas in along the west coast
central region.
Click on image for further details .>>> |
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OTHER
CORAL HABITATS
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The
hard substrates which corals and other sessile reef organisms need
to attach themselves, often come in the form of isolated large rocks
or boulders that are not toppled during storms, here called
unconsolidated rocks. Click on image for further details .>>> |
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Another coral habitat is built by rocks (mostly rounded, originating
from from beaches or river beds), that have been cemented together
by calcareous organisms thus forming reef-like substrates, here called
consolidated rocks. Click on image for further details .>>> |
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SEA
GRASS BEDS
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Sea
grasses require somewhat sheltered areas to establish. Most of Dominica's
sea grasses on the west coast are sheltered from truculence by depth.
East coast communities are primarily sheltered by fringing reefs. |
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MANGALS
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Mangals
encompass mangrove stands and the associated flora and fauna. This
intertidal community of emergent vascular plats also require comparatively
calm coastal waters to establish itself. This parameter is not characteristic
of Dominica and so Mangroves are only found at two isolated sites. |
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INDEX | INTRODUCTION |REGIONS | HABITATS | SPECIES | STATUS | CONTRIBUTORS | REPORTS
Institute
for Tropical Marine Ecology ITME Inc., P.O. Box
944, Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica.
ITME
is a not-for-profit institution for environmental education and research.