Mesophotic coral reef ecosystems in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area

Abstract

This report reviews the most recent science regarding the potential distribution of mesophotic coral reef ecosystems (MCEs) throughout the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, and discusses the potential importance of MCEs as refugia for corals and other sessile benthic megafauna from disturbance and as potential sources of coral larvae to disturbed shallow-water coral reefs.