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About Hawaii The slideshow below provides a taste of the beauty and diversity of the reefs around Hawaii and the French Frigate Shoals, but to really appreciate them you first need to understand the factors that helped shape the islands, and how this has affected the development of their reefs. Follow the links at the bottom of the page to learn more.
> Geography and Geology describes the geological processes that forced the Hawaiian islands up from the seabed, providing the foothold on which the coral reefs form, and explains how these are the same forces that will, ultimately, destroy them. > Reef Ecology sets out how the coral reefs clinging to these islands have themselves been shaped by Hawaii's isolated position at the edge of the tropics, the oceanic currents, and the prevailing winds, and how this has impacted on the diversity of the marine fishes, corals and other marine invertebrates found there. > Zonation explains how wave energy has affected the abundance and distribution of fish and corals on Hawaiian reefs and their division into four main zones. > Listings of species known to be indigenous to the Hawaiian reefs can be found on the Reef Fish, Stony and Soft Coral pages. > History and Conservation explains how the islands' isolation has meant that it is only comparatively recently that mankind has been a part of the island's history, but has already left its mark on the reefs, and the steps now being taken to conserve them. It also explains what the Union Jack is doing on the Hawaiian state flag.... > Hawaiian References details the main print and online resources that I used when researching the Hawaiian reef biotope, as well as listing some other guides to the islands.
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