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Mainly the coral reefs of the Florida Keys and other parts of the Caribbean.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Caribbean_map_blank.png

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FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Caribbean_spiny_lobster.jpg

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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/California_spiny_lobster.JPG

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Spiny Lobster/Palinurus elephas
CHARACTERISTICS:
- Spiny lobsters are nocturnal and emerge from their hiding spots during the night to forage on their favorite foods including crabs, clams, and other invertebrates.
-Spiny Lobster have typically a slightly compressed carapace, lacking any lateral ridges.

NOT endangered YET:
- The Caribbean Spiny Lobster is not yet listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Many believe it is just a matter of time before the spiny lobster becomes endangered because this lobster is a very popular seafood and is therefore fished heavily.

POPULATION:
-Palinurus elephas has been heavily harvested throughout its range and is generally considered to be overexploited, although long-term catch per unit effort (CPUE) data are not available for most fisheries. Population number is unknown, yet there is a noticed decline.

FACTORS OF POPULATION DECLINE:
-They are highly sought after for their meat and are one of the most valuable species in the Caribbean.  For this reason, they are vulnerable to overfishing.

EFFECTS:
crabs, clams and snails would overpopulate.

CONSERVATION EFFORTS:
-Regulations on time of year and location where the Caribbean spiny lobster can and cannot be captured are defined by most countries where it is fished.  Unfortunately, poaching and other forms of illegal fishing, plus fishery regulations that are not based on the best science, threaten this species, and populations will likely continue to decline.

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National Geographic's Ocean Now is a project to study the last healthy, undisturbed places in the ocean. Join Dr. Enric Sala and a team of scientists as they spend six weeks exploring the pristine waters of the southern Line Islands in the South Pacific.

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Pollution & Blast-fishing - Threats to the Reef

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Pollution & Blast-fishing - Threats to the Reef

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Pollution collected in the oceans is mostly caused by acidic rain and disregarded waste off of the coasts.
Pollution can smother coral reefs, lower the quality of water (abiotic factor), and make corals susceptible of diseases.

Air pollution due to car emissions and ash clouds from volcanoes can reduce the amount of sunlight (abiotic) reaching corals (biotic)

source:
https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/corals/pollution.html

Blast-fishing uses explosives to kill fish and capture them easily. It kills off corals and other animals that aren't targeted. Also, blast-fishing can destroy abiotic material that these animals live on, such as rock.

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clown_fish_in_the_Andaman_Coral_Reef.jpg

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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Coral_Outcrop_Flynn_Reef.jpg

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seagrass_at_Rapid_Bay_Jetty_P1262907.JPG

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Coral- Coral has adapted toxins to keep away predators
fish - Adapted flat, maneuverable bodies to swim through coral. Fish in coral reefs are also brightly colored to help with mating or camouflage.
groupers- adapted to have camouflage and use their mouths to dig shelters into sand under rocks.
jellyfish- Adapted to a almost transparent body to be less visible to predators in reefs.
crabs
eels
source:
https://coralreefbrawner.weebly.com/plant--animal-adaptations.html

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mangroves_in_Puerto_Rico.JPG

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phytoplankton
algae- can provide shade, adapted to grow and protect
seagrass- Roots have adapted to keep the plant in place during strong ocean currents.
mangroves- Roots protect from the sediment
seaweed- adapted to have tough fronds that allow seaweed to not be torn by strong waves and to not get dried out.

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Description of Vegetation and Plant life Relationship

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Description of Vegetation and Plant life Relationship

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Reefs need calcium from the ocean to grow, which is more often available in shallow / warm waters.

Plants: The sun is very important as the source of energy for the coral reef ecosystem. These plants and plankton convert  light energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis.

source: kids.nceas.ucsb.edu

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The Coral Reef is located within the ocean but is separate from the ocean biome. It can be located in the coasts of East Africa, South India, Australia, Florida, the Caribbean, and Brazil.

The climate in the reef is confined to tropical and semi-tropical waters. The water is never below 64 degrees F. The average rate of rainfall is about 80 in. annually. Here is a climatogram:

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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Coral_reef_locations.jpg