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Apo Reef
Apo Reef is a coral reef system in the Philippines situated in the western waters of Occidental Mindoro province in the Mindoro Strait. Encompassing 34 km2 (13 sq mi), it is considered the world's second-largest contiguous coral reef system, and is the largest in the country. The reef and its surrounding waters are protected areas administered as the Apo Reef Natural Park. It is one of the best known and most popular diving regions in the country, and is on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Apo Reef can is about 28 km (17 mi) west of the coast of Mindoro. It is separated from the main island by the Apo East Pass of the Mindoro Strait. Politically, the reef lies within the jurisdiction of the province of Occidental Mindoro in Region IV-B of the Philippines and, more specifically, of the Municipality of Sablayan.
The park has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a significant seabird population, with at least 10,000 breeding pairs recorded.
Apo Reef is a roughly triangular coral atoll formation approximately 26 km (16 mi) from the north to the south tip, and 20 km (12 mi) from east to west. It is separated by two lagoon systems, the north and south lagoons which are bounded by narrow reef platforms. It is 34 km2 (13 sq mi) of almost triangular northern and southern atoll-like reefs separated by a deep channel that is open to the west. The channel runs east to west from 1.8 to 30 m (6 to 98 ft) deep with a fine white sand bottom, numerous mounds and patches of branching corals under the deep blue water.
The north lagoon is an enclosed triangular coral reef platform partly exposed during low tide. It is relatively shallow with depths of about 2–10 m (7–33 ft). While the south lagoon is an inverted triangular coral platform enclosed on two sides and is about 30 m (98 ft) in depth. Likewise, reef limestone and coralline sand on the eastern and south-eastern sides dominantly underlie the area.
Studies indicate that the modern reef has grown over an old reef formation during the last glacial cycle approximately 19,000 years ago. The surface morphology of the modern reef is a product of the fluctuating sea levels as the crust under Apo Reef subsides towards Manila Trench.
The main geographical feature of Apo Reef is submerged, but three islands mark it on the surface: Apo Island, Apo Menor (locally known as Binangaan) and Cayos del Bajo ("Keys of the bank", locally known as Tinangkapan). The islands are uninhabited. Since the declaration of "no-take-zone" policy at Apo Reef Natural Park in 2007, only protected area personnel and members of the Task Force MARLEN (Marine and Apo Reef Law Enforcement for Nature), who are tasked to implement protection and conservation work at the park, stay in the protected area on weekly shifts.
The largest is Apo Island at 22 ha (54 acres) with mangroves and beach vegetation. The reef surrounding the island extends to 1 km (0.62 mi) in places. Outside the lagoonal mangroves in the eastern and southern sides of Apo Island, the soil is sandy-to-sandy loam that has less silt and clay particles, while the lagoonal mangroves have a sandy loam to clay loam soil, underlain by decomposed plant residues or coarse materials.
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Apo Reef
Apo Reef is a coral reef system in the Philippines situated in the western waters of Occidental Mindoro province in the Mindoro Strait. Encompassing 34 km2 (13 sq mi), it is considered the world's second-largest contiguous coral reef system, and is the largest in the country. The reef and its surrounding waters are protected areas administered as the Apo Reef Natural Park. It is one of the best known and most popular diving regions in the country, and is on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Apo Reef can is about 28 km (17 mi) west of the coast of Mindoro. It is separated from the main island by the Apo East Pass of the Mindoro Strait. Politically, the reef lies within the jurisdiction of the province of Occidental Mindoro in Region IV-B of the Philippines and, more specifically, of the Municipality of Sablayan.
The park has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a significant seabird population, with at least 10,000 breeding pairs recorded.
Apo Reef is a roughly triangular coral atoll formation approximately 26 km (16 mi) from the north to the south tip, and 20 km (12 mi) from east to west. It is separated by two lagoon systems, the north and south lagoons which are bounded by narrow reef platforms. It is 34 km2 (13 sq mi) of almost triangular northern and southern atoll-like reefs separated by a deep channel that is open to the west. The channel runs east to west from 1.8 to 30 m (6 to 98 ft) deep with a fine white sand bottom, numerous mounds and patches of branching corals under the deep blue water.
The north lagoon is an enclosed triangular coral reef platform partly exposed during low tide. It is relatively shallow with depths of about 2–10 m (7–33 ft). While the south lagoon is an inverted triangular coral platform enclosed on two sides and is about 30 m (98 ft) in depth. Likewise, reef limestone and coralline sand on the eastern and south-eastern sides dominantly underlie the area.
Studies indicate that the modern reef has grown over an old reef formation during the last glacial cycle approximately 19,000 years ago. The surface morphology of the modern reef is a product of the fluctuating sea levels as the crust under Apo Reef subsides towards Manila Trench.
The main geographical feature of Apo Reef is submerged, but three islands mark it on the surface: Apo Island, Apo Menor (locally known as Binangaan) and Cayos del Bajo ("Keys of the bank", locally known as Tinangkapan). The islands are uninhabited. Since the declaration of "no-take-zone" policy at Apo Reef Natural Park in 2007, only protected area personnel and members of the Task Force MARLEN (Marine and Apo Reef Law Enforcement for Nature), who are tasked to implement protection and conservation work at the park, stay in the protected area on weekly shifts.
The largest is Apo Island at 22 ha (54 acres) with mangroves and beach vegetation. The reef surrounding the island extends to 1 km (0.62 mi) in places. Outside the lagoonal mangroves in the eastern and southern sides of Apo Island, the soil is sandy-to-sandy loam that has less silt and clay particles, while the lagoonal mangroves have a sandy loam to clay loam soil, underlain by decomposed plant residues or coarse materials.