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| Another
factor influencing atoll growth |
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| is the flow
of water around the reefs. |
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| For example,
prevailing winds can |
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| agitate
water on one side of an island, |
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| stimulating
coral growth. (Red arrows |
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| in the image above
indicate the |
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| prevailing
wind direction.) On the lee |
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| side of the
island the coral do not |
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| receive as
many nutrients, resulting |
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| in slower
growth and a thinner reef. |
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| (Image by
Robert Simmon, NASA |
|
| GSFC) |
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| Maldives |