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Coastal Marine Environments of the MR El Pelado, Santa Elena, Ecuador |
| Ambientes Marino-Costeros de la RM El Pelado, Santa Elena, Ecuador |
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An initiative by SCC Steiner, SENESCYT, for CENAIM - ESPOL, Guayaquil, Ecuador |
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| Substrate-Habitat Types |
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Balanus Zone
Approximate depth: 2 - 10 m
Terrain: rocky base, structurally homogenous, low rugosity.
Benthos: encrusting coralline algae and balanomorph barnacles. The long spined urchin Diadema is the most conspicuous invertebrate albeit its distribution is patchy.
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Turf Zone
Approximate depth: 8 - 15 m
Terrain: rocky base, structurally homogenous, low rugosity.
Benthos: filamentous turf algae with accumulations of sediment. No conspicuous invertebrates characterize the sea scape within this zone. |
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Pocillopora Zone
Approximate depth: 5 - 13 m
Terrain: rocky base, structurally complex, moderate rugosity.
Benthos: encrusting coralline algae. Pocillopora spp. are most conspicuous sessile invertebrates and contribute to coral rubble deposits. |
Muricea Zone
Approximate depth: 10 - 30m
Terrain: rocky base, structurally complex, high rugosity.
Benthos: encrusting corallinacea. Muricea spp. are most conspicuous sessile invertebrates. |
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Zoantharia Zone
Approximate depth: 1 - 8 m
Terrain: rocky base, structurally complex, high rugosity.
Benthos: encrusting Zoantharia and Actinaria are the most conspicuous sessile invertebrates.
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Sandy Habitats (shallow)
Approximate depth: 1 - 5 m
Terrain: sediment, structurally homogenous, low rugosity.
Benthos: no epibenthic invertebrates or macro algae are present.
Sediments are compose of calcareous skeletons of invertebrates and terrigenous inputs, and are much finer than at EPP. |
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