Definition of "zonation" []

• Arrangement or formation in zones; zonate structure. (noun)
• Ecology The distribution of organisms in biogeographic zones. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Most reefs exhibit a similar zonation pattern that reflects both vertical and horizontal gradients in water energy (mainly waves) and proximity to land."
• "These patterns of zonation are different depending on whether the reef is a fringing, atoll or barrier reef."
• "Climate change is one of the biggest threats to coral reefs, and can lead to changes in zonation."