<descriptor thcode="62"><thesaurus thcode="62" name="Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard" scope="Categories of ecosystems for coastal, estuarine, and marine environments." creator="FGDC" rights="public domain" date="2017-05-10" codetype="alpha" prefix="cmecs" uri="https://www2.usgs.gov/science/CMECS" tblname="cmecs" root_code="root" contact="pschweitzer"><category><term thcode="25" code="16" name="hierarchical" parent="11" scope="Substantive broader-narrower relationships exist among the terms."/><term thcode="25" code="16" name="hierarchical" parent="11" scope="Substantive broader-narrower relationships exist among the terms."/></category><altlabel><altlabel>CMECS</altlabel><altlabel>CMECS</altlabel><altlabel>Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS)</altlabel><altlabel>Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS)</altlabel></altlabel></thesaurus><term thcode="62" code="GC-199" name="Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef" parent="GC-184" scope="Geoform: Light-dependent coral reefs that occur within the photic zone (the mesophotic reefs occur in the lower part of this zone at depths of 30 - 150 meters). (http://www.mesophotic.org)."/><bt><term thcode="62" code="GC-184" name="Biogenic" parent="GC-C052" scope="Geoform Origin: Biogenic geoforms are physical features and landforms that were created by the action of living organisms (bioherms). ..."/><term thcode="62" code="GC-C052" name="Geoform (levels 1 and 2 subcomponents)" parent="GC-C005"/><term thcode="62" code="GC-C005" name="Geoform" parent="root"/><term thcode="62" code="root" name="CMECS" scope="Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard: Category terms encompassing waters from the head of tide or inland incursion of ocean salinity to the splash zone of the coasts to the deepest portions of the oceans and the deep waters of the Great Lakes."/></bt><nt><term thcode="62" code="GC-200" name="Aggregate Coral Reef" parent="GC-199" scope="Geoform Type: Continuous, high-relief coral formation that occurs in various shapes and lacks sand channels. This type includes linear coral formations that are oriented parallel to the shelf edge (Zitello et al. 2009)."/><term thcode="62" code="GC-202" name="Coral Head/Bomme" parent="GC-199" scope="Geoform Type: Individual, massive coral colonies?usually with a boulder or mound-like shape."/><term thcode="62" code="GC-203" name="Coral Pinnacle" parent="GC-199" scope="Geoform Type: A hard, columnar structure formed primarily by the growth of hard corals and other encrusting organisms. These can occur as isolated vertical structures or in association with other pinnacles."/><term thcode="62" code="GC-204" name="Fragile Mesophotic Coral Reef" parent="GC-199" scope="Geoform Type: Coral reef characterized by delicate branching corals and other reef organisms."/><term thcode="62" code="GC-205" name="Fringing Coral Reef" parent="GC-199" scope="Geoform Type: Fringing coral reefs are generally linear and generally aligned with the nearby coast. They have the same general morphology as the larger barrier reefs but occur at smaller scales."/><term thcode="62" code="GC-206" name="Halo" parent="GC-199" scope="Geoform Type: The zone of low-relief, generally bare, sand surrounding Patch Coral Reefs. Halos are often formed by the action of grazing herbivores in the adjacent patch reef itself."/><term thcode="62" code="GC-207" name="Linear Coral Reef" parent="GC-199" scope="Geoform Type: These are linear coral formations that are oriented parallel to shore or the shelf edge. They follow the contours of the shore/shelf edge. This category is used for such commonly used terms as forereef, fringing reef, and shelf edge reef."/><term thcode="62" code="GC-208" name="Patch Coral Reef" parent="GC-199" scope="Geoform Type: Individual patch coral reefs are coral formations with circular or oblong shapes and vertical reliefs of one meter or more in relation to the surrounding seafloor. ..."/><term thcode="62" code="GC-209" name="Pinnacle Coral Reef" parent="GC-199" scope="Geoform Type: A reef structure formed by the aggregation of many individual pinnacles"/><term thcode="62" code="GC-201" name="Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Carbonate Mound" parent="GC-199" scope="Geoform Type: Topographic seafloor structures that are the result of previous periods of coral growth, often with successive periods of reef development, sedimentation, and erosion. ..."/><term thcode="62" code="GC-210" name="Spur and Groove Coral Reef" parent="GC-199" scope="Geoform Type: Habitat having alternating sand and coral formations that are oriented perpendicular to the shore or bank/shelf escarpment. ..."/></nt></descriptor>