under low-nutrient conditions (Rosenberg and Ramus,
1984). Turfs also contain populations of nitrogen-fixing
Cyanobacteria (Adey, 1998) that can enrich the other
low-growing members within the dense turf community
in oligotrophic waters.
Bibliography
Adey, W. H., 1998. Coral reefs: algal structured and mediated ecosystems in shallow, turbulent, alkaline waters. Journal of Phycology, 34, 393–406.
Fong, P., Rudnicki, R., and Zedler, J. B., 1987. Algal community
response to nitrogen and phosphorus loading in experimental
mesocosms: management recommendations for Southern California lagoons. Report of the California State Water Control
Board, pp. 88.
Fujita, R. M., Wheeler, P. A., and Edwards, R. L., 1988. Metabolic
regulation of ammonium uptake by Ulva rigida (Chlorophyta):
a compartmental analysis of the rate-limiting step for uptake.
Journal of Phycology, 24, 560–566.
Littler, M. M., Littler, D. S., and Brooks, B. L., 2006. Harmful algae
on tropical coral reefs: bottom-up eutrophication and top-down
herbivory. Harmful Algae, 5(5), 565–585.
Littler, M. M., and Littler, D. S., 2007. Assessment of coral reefs
using herbivory/nutrient assays and indicator groups of benthic
primary producers: a critical synthesis, proposed protocols, and
critique of management strategies. Aquatic Conservation:
Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 17, 195–215.
Rosenberg, G., and Ramus, J., 1984. Uptake of inorganic nitrogen and
seaweed surface area: volume ratios. Aquatic Botany, 19, 65–72.
Cross-references
Algae, Turf
Nutrient Pollution/Eutrophication
ALGAL RIMS
Jacques Laborel
Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille Cedex 9, France
Definition and morphology
Algal rims are marine biogenic formations of various size
and shape, generally edificated by Coralline algae associated with other organisms, developing upon the windward
edge of coral reefs or rocky coasts in tropical and subtropical seas.
Thin reef-like structures (often referred to as biostromes) may develop on the outer edge of reef-flats or
rocky windward coasts submitted to strong surf, both in
tideless or tidal areas. They were first described from the
Pacific (Tracey et al., 1948), and were subsequently found
in the North Atlantic (Agassiz, 1895), Brazil (Kempf and
Laborel, 1968) and the Caribbean area (Gessner, 1970;
Adey and Burke, 1976) Related formations are also
known from the Mediterranean (Blanc and Molinier,
1955). They are mainly built by massive or encrusting coralline algae (mostly Hydrolithon) Hydrocorals (Millepora
spp.), Vermetid Gastropods and some corals. Specific
composition varies with surf, slope and nature of substrate
(Focke and Gebelein, 1978). Plant and animal populations
mingle seaward with those of the reef’s outer slope; laterally, the rim may pass to the spur-and-groove structures
or to rim-like formations developing directly on rocky
shores.
On coral reefs, algal rims often develop by fusion of
algal heads. Extreme surf conditions may lead to the
development of boilers, terraced pinnacles or blowholes.
Similar morphological structures may be obtained by
erosive processes. Bermudian “erosive boilers” generated
from the erosion of an emerged stack of soft rock were
described (Ginsburg and Schroeder, 1973).
Relation with sea level
– Some biological components of algal rims (Dendropoma
vermetids, some Lithophyllum and Hydrolithon) have
a very narrow repartition around MSL; their presence
in cores or on elevated shorelines is a precise indicator
of past sea levels, with metric or decimetric approximation, and widely used around the world’s oceans (Adey,
1986; Pirazzoli et al., 1988; Laborel et al., 1994). Stony
corals having a range of – 5 to10 m tend to be less accurate indicators.
Bibliography
Adey, W. H., and Burke, R. B., 1976. Holocene bioherms (algal
ridges and bank barrier reefs) of the eastern Caribbean. Bulletin
of the Geological Society of America, 87, 95–109.
Adey, W. H., 1986. Coralline algae as indicators of sea-level. In
Van de Plassche, O. (ed.), Sea-level Research: a Manual for
the Collection and Evaluation of Data. Amsterdam: Free University of Amsterdam, pp. 229–279.
Agassiz, A., 1895. A visit to the Bermudas in 1894. Bulletin of the
Museum of comparative Zoology, Harvard. Coll. 26, 209–281.
Blanc, J. J., and Molinier, R., 1955. Les formations organogènes
construites superficielles en Méditerranée occidentale. Bulletin
de l’ Instititut océanographique de Monaco, 1067, 1–26.
Focke, J., and Gebelein, C., 1978. Marine lithification of reef rock
and rhodolites at a fore-reef slope locality off Bermuda.
Geologie en Mijnbouw, 57, 163–171.
Gessner, F., 1970. Lithothamnium terrassen in Karibischen Meer.
Internationale Revue der Gesamten Hydrobiologie, 55, 757–762.
Ginsburg, R. N., and Schroeder, J. H., 1973. Growth and submarine
fossilisation of algal cup reefs, Bermuda. Sedimentology, 20,
574–614.
Ginsburg, R. N., and Schroeder, J. H., 1973. In Biology and Geology of Coral reefs. Jones and Endean (eds.). Academic press,
Biology 1, 9:271–324.
Kempf, M., and Laborel, J., 1968. Formations de Vermets et
d’Algues calcaires des côtes du Brésil. Recueil des travaux de
la Station Marine d’Endoume, 43, 9–23.
Laborel, J., and Laborel - Deguen, F., 1994. Biological indicators of
relative sea-level variation and of co-seismic displacements in
the Mediterranean area. Journal of Coastal research, 10(2),
395–415.
Laborel, J., Morhange, C., Lafond, R., Le Campion, J., Laborel –
Deguen, F., and Sartoretto, S., 1994. Biological evidence of
sea-level rise during the last 4500 years on the rocky coasts of
continental southwestern France and Corsica. Marine Geology,
120, 203–223.
ALGAL RIMS
39
1984). Turfs also contain populations of nitrogen-fixing
Cyanobacteria (Adey, 1998) that can enrich the other
low-growing members within the dense turf community
in oligotrophic waters.
Bibliography
Adey, W. H., 1998. Coral reefs: algal structured and mediated ecosystems in shallow, turbulent, alkaline waters. Journal of Phycology, 34, 393–406.
Fong, P., Rudnicki, R., and Zedler, J. B., 1987. Algal community
response to nitrogen and phosphorus loading in experimental
mesocosms: management recommendations for Southern California lagoons. Report of the California State Water Control
Board, pp. 88.
Fujita, R. M., Wheeler, P. A., and Edwards, R. L., 1988. Metabolic
regulation of ammonium uptake by Ulva rigida (Chlorophyta):
a compartmental analysis of the rate-limiting step for uptake.
Journal of Phycology, 24, 560–566.
Littler, M. M., Littler, D. S., and Brooks, B. L., 2006. Harmful algae
on tropical coral reefs: bottom-up eutrophication and top-down
herbivory. Harmful Algae, 5(5), 565–585.
Littler, M. M., and Littler, D. S., 2007. Assessment of coral reefs
using herbivory/nutrient assays and indicator groups of benthic
primary producers: a critical synthesis, proposed protocols, and
critique of management strategies. Aquatic Conservation:
Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 17, 195–215.
Rosenberg, G., and Ramus, J., 1984. Uptake of inorganic nitrogen and
seaweed surface area: volume ratios. Aquatic Botany, 19, 65–72.
Cross-references
Algae, Turf
Nutrient Pollution/Eutrophication
ALGAL RIMS
Jacques Laborel
Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille Cedex 9, France
Definition and morphology
Algal rims are marine biogenic formations of various size
and shape, generally edificated by Coralline algae associated with other organisms, developing upon the windward
edge of coral reefs or rocky coasts in tropical and subtropical seas.
Thin reef-like structures (often referred to as biostromes) may develop on the outer edge of reef-flats or
rocky windward coasts submitted to strong surf, both in
tideless or tidal areas. They were first described from the
Pacific (Tracey et al., 1948), and were subsequently found
in the North Atlantic (Agassiz, 1895), Brazil (Kempf and
Laborel, 1968) and the Caribbean area (Gessner, 1970;
Adey and Burke, 1976) Related formations are also
known from the Mediterranean (Blanc and Molinier,
1955). They are mainly built by massive or encrusting coralline algae (mostly Hydrolithon) Hydrocorals (Millepora
spp.), Vermetid Gastropods and some corals. Specific
composition varies with surf, slope and nature of substrate
(Focke and Gebelein, 1978). Plant and animal populations
mingle seaward with those of the reef’s outer slope; laterally, the rim may pass to the spur-and-groove structures
or to rim-like formations developing directly on rocky
shores.
On coral reefs, algal rims often develop by fusion of
algal heads. Extreme surf conditions may lead to the
development of boilers, terraced pinnacles or blowholes.
Similar morphological structures may be obtained by
erosive processes. Bermudian “erosive boilers” generated
from the erosion of an emerged stack of soft rock were
described (Ginsburg and Schroeder, 1973).
Relation with sea level
– Some biological components of algal rims (Dendropoma
vermetids, some Lithophyllum and Hydrolithon) have
a very narrow repartition around MSL; their presence
in cores or on elevated shorelines is a precise indicator
of past sea levels, with metric or decimetric approximation, and widely used around the world’s oceans (Adey,
1986; Pirazzoli et al., 1988; Laborel et al., 1994). Stony
corals having a range of – 5 to10 m tend to be less accurate indicators.
Bibliography
Adey, W. H., and Burke, R. B., 1976. Holocene bioherms (algal
ridges and bank barrier reefs) of the eastern Caribbean. Bulletin
of the Geological Society of America, 87, 95–109.
Adey, W. H., 1986. Coralline algae as indicators of sea-level. In
Van de Plassche, O. (ed.), Sea-level Research: a Manual for
the Collection and Evaluation of Data. Amsterdam: Free University of Amsterdam, pp. 229–279.
Agassiz, A., 1895. A visit to the Bermudas in 1894. Bulletin of the
Museum of comparative Zoology, Harvard. Coll. 26, 209–281.
Blanc, J. J., and Molinier, R., 1955. Les formations organogènes
construites superficielles en Méditerranée occidentale. Bulletin
de l’ Instititut océanographique de Monaco, 1067, 1–26.
Focke, J., and Gebelein, C., 1978. Marine lithification of reef rock
and rhodolites at a fore-reef slope locality off Bermuda.
Geologie en Mijnbouw, 57, 163–171.
Gessner, F., 1970. Lithothamnium terrassen in Karibischen Meer.
Internationale Revue der Gesamten Hydrobiologie, 55, 757–762.
Ginsburg, R. N., and Schroeder, J. H., 1973. Growth and submarine
fossilisation of algal cup reefs, Bermuda. Sedimentology, 20,
574–614.
Ginsburg, R. N., and Schroeder, J. H., 1973. In Biology and Geology of Coral reefs. Jones and Endean (eds.). Academic press,
Biology 1, 9:271–324.
Kempf, M., and Laborel, J., 1968. Formations de Vermets et
d’Algues calcaires des côtes du Brésil. Recueil des travaux de
la Station Marine d’Endoume, 43, 9–23.
Laborel, J., and Laborel - Deguen, F., 1994. Biological indicators of
relative sea-level variation and of co-seismic displacements in
the Mediterranean area. Journal of Coastal research, 10(2),
395–415.
Laborel, J., Morhange, C., Lafond, R., Le Campion, J., Laborel –
Deguen, F., and Sartoretto, S., 1994. Biological evidence of
sea-level rise during the last 4500 years on the rocky coasts of
continental southwestern France and Corsica. Marine Geology,
120, 203–223.
ALGAL RIMS
39