Description
The model represents a portion of the outer reef front of the eastern portion of the Faafu Atoll. This is a waves-swept area, and the features of the coral assemblage reflect the high-energy of the environment.
The substrate consists of coral pavement without accumulation of sediments (sand or coral rubbles);the primary coral growth forms are massive, with some branching colonies. The main coral species that can be observed along the transect are relatively small colonies of Porites lutea and Pocillopora verrucosa. These species are adapted to survive in an environment with high hydrodynamism and are the most representative on the upper part of the outer reef front in the Faafu Atoll.
The “scars” of the 2016 bleaching event are still evident from the high percentage of dead corals and the absence of corals of the genus Acropora.
Credits: model provided by Luca Fallati, MaRHE Center (https://marhe.unimib.it/).