Los arrecifes de la isla de San Andrés (mar Caribe, Colombia)

• Autores: Jorn Geister
• Localización: Boletín de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, ISSN-e 2590-4671, ISSN 0122-9761, Vol. 7, Nº. 1, 1973, págs. 211-228
• Idioma: español
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen
  • español

    Se describen los rasgos topográficos, sedimentológicos y la distribución de la fauna bentónica, en los sectores NE y E de la plataforma submarina de San Andrés. La barrera de barlovento se destaca por un crecimiento profuso del hidrocoral Millepora. Esto se interpreta como adaptación ecológica a la resaca de olas largas, generados por los vientos alisios a través de casi toda la extensión del Mar Caribe.

  • English

    The windward reef complex NE and E of San Andrés Island is briefly described in terms of submarine topography, sediments and the distribution of corals and other benthonic organisms. The breaker zone of the San Andrés barrier and other exposed Western Caribbean reefs characteristically exhibits a profuse growth consisting almost exclusively of Millepora. In this respect they are different from most other described West Indian reef localities, where Acropora palmata is the dominating species in this part of the reef. The replacement of Acropora palmata by Millepora is interpreted as an adaptation of the reef crest community to high energy environments due to long swell prevailing at the Western end of the Caribbean Sea. A few short reef sections exposed to the maximum degree of wave energy show conspicuous algal ridges.