2.4. Boca de Cangrejos Reefs, Carolina, P. R.
During 2001, a biological survey of marine communities associated with benthic
along a proposed fiber optics cable route crossing the Carolina shelf, off from Boca de
Cangrejos was prepared by García-Sais (2001). The work was part of the
environmental research supporting permit applications for the cable crossing and
landing. The outer shelf off from Boca de Cangrejos is defined by a steep slope that
begins to break from a har
habitats
d ground reef formation at a depth of 11 m, reaching a depth
f 30 m at a distance of approximately 2.6 km from the coastline. The slope has an
irregular substrate presenting mixed sandy bottom and low relief hard ground reef
patches. At depths between 30 - 40 meters, the slope exhibits a more gentle drop,
forming a deep terrace of sand with interspersed patch reefs of variable dimensions
(Plates 10-11). The location of these deep patch reefs is shown in Figure 1.
The sandy substrate at the outer shelf was mostly colonized by cyanobacterial films,
particularly at depths between 18 – 41 m. Also, dense patches of Paddle Grass,
Halophila decipiens were growing over sandy substrate at a depth of 30.3 m. The Sea
Feather, Stylatula sp. was observed on sand bottom at the deepest station surveyed
(41.8 m).
Marine communities of the outer shelf were mostly concentrated on the submerged
patch reefs interspersed among an otherwise unconsolidated sandy bottom. Reefs are
ubmerged eolianite rocks almost completely colonized (> 90%) by a dense algal turf.
L
on at
outer shelf reefs surveyed. The main stony coral
assemblage at outer shelf stations was c
e g
star c l (Montastrea
sa), symmetrical brain cora
a), the mustard hill oral (Porites
l
). Stony coral
er m ly foun
as isolate
ies not con
ifica
to the
f topographic re .
Live
arici
era
m
dep
o
s
arge erect sponges, such as the basket (Xestospongia muta), black-ball (Ircinia
strobilina), brown tube (Agelas spp.) and pore sponges (Aplysina spp.) were comm
outer shelf reefs.
Coral cover was less than 1 % in
omposed th reat
ora
caverno
l (Diploria strigos
c
astreoides) and lettuce cora (Agaricia spp) (Table 6
s w e ost
d
d encrusting colon
tributing sign
ntly
ree
lief
scleractinian corals (Ag
a spp., Scolymia lac ) were observed at a maximu
th of 41.8 m.
32
During 2001, a biological survey of marine communities associated with benthic
along a proposed fiber optics cable route crossing the Carolina shelf, off from Boca de
Cangrejos was prepared by García-Sais (2001). The work was part of the
environmental research supporting permit applications for the cable crossing and
landing. The outer shelf off from Boca de Cangrejos is defined by a steep slope that
begins to break from a har
habitats
d ground reef formation at a depth of 11 m, reaching a depth
f 30 m at a distance of approximately 2.6 km from the coastline. The slope has an
irregular substrate presenting mixed sandy bottom and low relief hard ground reef
patches. At depths between 30 - 40 meters, the slope exhibits a more gentle drop,
forming a deep terrace of sand with interspersed patch reefs of variable dimensions
(Plates 10-11). The location of these deep patch reefs is shown in Figure 1.
The sandy substrate at the outer shelf was mostly colonized by cyanobacterial films,
particularly at depths between 18 – 41 m. Also, dense patches of Paddle Grass,
Halophila decipiens were growing over sandy substrate at a depth of 30.3 m. The Sea
Feather, Stylatula sp. was observed on sand bottom at the deepest station surveyed
(41.8 m).
Marine communities of the outer shelf were mostly concentrated on the submerged
patch reefs interspersed among an otherwise unconsolidated sandy bottom. Reefs are
ubmerged eolianite rocks almost completely colonized (> 90%) by a dense algal turf.
L
on at
outer shelf reefs surveyed. The main stony coral
assemblage at outer shelf stations was c
e g
star c l (Montastrea
sa), symmetrical brain cora
a), the mustard hill oral (Porites
l
). Stony coral
er m ly foun
as isolate
ies not con
ifica
to the
f topographic re .
Live
arici
era
m
dep
o
s
arge erect sponges, such as the basket (Xestospongia muta), black-ball (Ircinia
strobilina), brown tube (Agelas spp.) and pore sponges (Aplysina spp.) were comm
outer shelf reefs.
Coral cover was less than 1 % in
omposed th reat
ora
caverno
l (Diploria strigos
c
astreoides) and lettuce cora (Agaricia spp) (Table 6
s w e ost
d
d encrusting colon
tributing sign
ntly
ree
lief
scleractinian corals (Ag
a spp., Scolymia lac ) were observed at a maximu
th of 41.8 m.
32