Habitat Distribution and Sediment Composition of Jamaican Windward Lagoons
Over the last 50 years, Caribbean lagoons have undergone a major transformation from coral- to macroalgal-dominated habitats, coupled with a shift from historically dominant reef-building taxa to more opportunistic, stress-tolerant, non- framework building coral species. Although shallow lagoons protected by barrier reefs are well developed along the northern Jamaican coastline, studies documenting their biota, including major carbonate sediment producers are rare.