Proc Great Barrier Reef Conf (Townsville) (1983), 299-304
Growth of Halimeda in reefal and inter-reefal environments*.
Edward A Drew and Kay M Abel
Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No 3, MSO, Townsville,
Queensland 4810, Australia
*Contribution No 194 from the Australian Institute of Marine Science
Conclusion
On reefal platforms in the central GBR, Halimeda grows mainly on solid substrata. Sand-dwelling species were confined mainly to areas of coarse sediment at the base of bommies where they were not disturbed by the burrowing of Callianasid shrimps, common elsewhere on the lagoon floors.
Rates of growth, productivity and sediment generation were higher than have been reported elsewhere in the world, but even reefal platforms producing large amounts of Halimeda sediment were unlikely to have a surplus for export to the vast areas of inter-reefal Halimeda sediments,
These are probably formed in situ by the substantial populations of Halimeda growing on them, and appear to be spatially correlated with nutrient enhancement phenomena such as upwellings.