Introduction
The coral reef communities constitute one of the most important ecosystems
on our Planet. The main feature of coral reef ecosystems is their extremely
high productivity. The photo-synthetic production in reef communities
attains 5-20gm- 2 of organic carbon or 50-200g of wet biomass, it being
actually independent of the nutrient concentration in surrounding waters.
Primary production in coral reef ecosystems remains permanently high,
while in other productive marine ecosystems - be it in pelagic communities
of upwelling regions or in coastal shelf communities of the temperate zone -
a high productivity (2-5 g C m- 2 day-I) is attained only periodically. An
extremely high autotrophic production of coral reefs, which is based on the
three-dimensional structure of their bottom biotopes, supports the existence
of unusually dense communities of zoo benthos and fish. Their biomass
reaches on reefs hundreds of grams per 1 m- 2 . The fish resources of reefs
comprise a significant portion of their total stock in the World Ocean -
about 9% - and fishery in reef areas is an important source of protein in the
rations of the population in tropical coastal countries. The export of organic
matter and combined nitrogen from coral reefs significantly enhances
productivity of surrounding oceanic waters. Reefs are also the place of
propagation and juvenile growth of many pelagic fish species important for
fishery. The reefs should be recognized as a prospective zone for
development of aquaculture and as a source of raw materials for the
production of medicaments. The immense recreation potential of coral reefs
is one of their most important resources, which should be protected for the
benefit of mankind.
The core groups of organisms composing reef bottom communities are
represented by calcareous forms such as corals, foraminiferans and
calcareous algae, in which the function of calcification is coupled with
photosynthesis. The coupling greatly enhances this process. As a result,
coral reef ecosystems produce over half of the total lime material
sedimenting in the World Ocean. The modern reefs are an important
element of the geomorphological structure and bottom topography of the
ocean floor. Ancient reef structures form one of the main facies of
sedimental rocks, being widespread in the USA, Canada, CIS, and Saudi
Arabia, where they are the basic oil collectors. In the CIS, large oil deposits
in the reefogenic rocks were found in Siberia, Bashkiria, the Volga-Ural
The coral reef communities constitute one of the most important ecosystems
on our Planet. The main feature of coral reef ecosystems is their extremely
high productivity. The photo-synthetic production in reef communities
attains 5-20gm- 2 of organic carbon or 50-200g of wet biomass, it being
actually independent of the nutrient concentration in surrounding waters.
Primary production in coral reef ecosystems remains permanently high,
while in other productive marine ecosystems - be it in pelagic communities
of upwelling regions or in coastal shelf communities of the temperate zone -
a high productivity (2-5 g C m- 2 day-I) is attained only periodically. An
extremely high autotrophic production of coral reefs, which is based on the
three-dimensional structure of their bottom biotopes, supports the existence
of unusually dense communities of zoo benthos and fish. Their biomass
reaches on reefs hundreds of grams per 1 m- 2 . The fish resources of reefs
comprise a significant portion of their total stock in the World Ocean -
about 9% - and fishery in reef areas is an important source of protein in the
rations of the population in tropical coastal countries. The export of organic
matter and combined nitrogen from coral reefs significantly enhances
productivity of surrounding oceanic waters. Reefs are also the place of
propagation and juvenile growth of many pelagic fish species important for
fishery. The reefs should be recognized as a prospective zone for
development of aquaculture and as a source of raw materials for the
production of medicaments. The immense recreation potential of coral reefs
is one of their most important resources, which should be protected for the
benefit of mankind.
The core groups of organisms composing reef bottom communities are
represented by calcareous forms such as corals, foraminiferans and
calcareous algae, in which the function of calcification is coupled with
photosynthesis. The coupling greatly enhances this process. As a result,
coral reef ecosystems produce over half of the total lime material
sedimenting in the World Ocean. The modern reefs are an important
element of the geomorphological structure and bottom topography of the
ocean floor. Ancient reef structures form one of the main facies of
sedimental rocks, being widespread in the USA, Canada, CIS, and Saudi
Arabia, where they are the basic oil collectors. In the CIS, large oil deposits
in the reefogenic rocks were found in Siberia, Bashkiria, the Volga-Ural