Crustose coralline algae

Crustose ccoralline algae are rock-hard, calcareous red algae that fulfil two key functional roles in coral reef ecosystems:

• they contribute significantly to reef calcification and cementationthey induce larval settlement of many benthic organisms.

• They encourage baby corals to settle on flood-damaged reef flats (Fabricius and De’ath 2001).