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A wave breaks over a degraded reef crest at Buck Island in St. Croix

Detailed Description

A wave breaking over a degraded reef crest at Buck Island National Monument in St. Croix. Wave-breaking in these habitats relies on reef framework built by the elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, which is now a threatened species throughout the western Atlantic. Without the structure these corals provide, the ability of reefs to protect coastal communities may be in jeopardy.

Sources/Usage

Public Domain.