A wave breaks over a degraded reef crest at Buck Island in St. Croix
![An underwater photo shows lumpy corals in the foreground with a wave breaking over them in the background at the top.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/Parrotfish%20and%20palmata%20framework%20STX.jpg?itok=7YdpDAhL)
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.