Editing Algae (section)

====Turfs====
The term algal turf is commonly used but poorly defined. Algal turfs are thick, carpet-like beds of seaweed that retain [[sediment]] and compete with foundation species like [[coral reef|corals]] and [[kelp forest#Kelp|kelps]], and they are usually less than 15&nbsp;cm tall. Such a turf may consist of one or more species, and will generally cover an area in the order of a square metre or more. Some common characteristics are listed:<ref name="Connell-2014" >{{cite journal|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285992380 |last1=Connell |first1=Sean |last2=Foster |first2=M.S. |last3=Airoldi |first3=Laura |date=9 January 2014 |title= What are algal turfs? Towards a better description of turfs |journal=Marine Ecology Progress Series |volume=495 |pages=299–307 |doi=10.3354/meps10513 |bibcode=2014MEPS..495..299C |doi-access=free }}</ref>
* Algae that form aggregations that have been described as turfs include diatoms, cyanobacteria, chlorophytes, phaeophytes and rhodophytes. Turfs are often composed of numerous species at a wide range of spatial scales, but monospecific turfs are frequently reported.<ref name="Connell-2014" />
* Turfs can be morphologically highly variable over geographic scales and even within species on local scales and can be difficult to identify in terms of the constituent species.<ref name="Connell-2014" />
* Turfs have been defined as short algae, but this has been used to describe height ranges from less than 0.5&nbsp;cm to more than 10&nbsp;cm. In some regions, the descriptions approached heights which might be described as canopies (20 to 30&nbsp;cm).<ref name="Connell-2014" />