Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles

Abstract

Aldabra Atoll is located in the Indian Ocean. The atoll comprises four large coral islands surrounded by a coral reef enclosing a lagoon, which is linked to the ocean by channels and reef passages. Geomorphological processes have produced a varied and rugged topography which has undergone several emergences and submergences during its natural evolution, creating one of the Earth’s largest raised coral atolls. Aldabra is a classic coral atoll which has been built up from the seabed. Due to its isolation and to the difficulty of access, the atoll has been protected from human influence and has the world’s largest population of giant tortoise. It forms an ideal natural laboratory for the study of tropical marine corals and lagoon habitats such as mangroves and seagrasses.