Biotic Setting | Benthic/Attached Biota |
Biotic Class | Reef Biota |
Biotic Subclass | Deepwater/Coldwater Coral Reef Biota |
Biotic Group | Colonized Deepwater/Coldwater Reef |
Biotic Community | Black Coral Colonized Deepwater/Coldwater Reef Gold Coral Colonized Deepwater/Coldwater Reef Gorgonian Colonized Deepwater/Coldwater Reef Mix Colonized Deepwater/Coldwater Reef Sponge Colonized Deepwater/Coldwater Reef |
Definition | Areas dominated by deepwater reefs where live reef building hard corals are present, but not clearly dominant. Cover is dominated by non-reef-forming biota, including black corals, gold corals, gorgonians, sponges, and other sedentary or attached macro-invertebrates. If no living reef-forming corals are present, then the biotic class is Faunal Bed. |