MAERL
It is formed by calcareous red algae that live freely on the seabed. They are not attached to rocks.
As they grow, they form small branches that pile up.
Many little spaces appear between these branches, where animals can hide.
Maerl is therefore both alive and able to create a habitat for other living things.
At first glance, you might think it is made of small pebbles.
Yet some of these pieces are calcareous red algae.
They live freely on the seabed and are not attached to a rock.
As they grow and accumulate, they can cover large areas.
They produce and deposit a chalky material called calcium carbonate in their tissues.
They can then form small branches or rounder shapes.
These rounded shapes are called rhodoliths.
Some have many branches and others are more compact.
Under the sea, what looks like a little pebble can sometimes be an alga!
AMIGANSEAU CONTENT
The rest of this article is for subscribers
Log in with your AMIGANSEAU licence to continue reading.
All active AMIGANSEAU licences give access to the full article.Explore the same world
