The region is bounded by subtropical gyres of the North and South Pacific and the equatorial current system of the Eastern Pacific. An additional significant oceanographic feature of the region is the eastern Pacific warm pool, located along the Central American shelf. The oceanographic dynamics of the region are strongly influenced by low-latitude trade winds, topography (i.e. shelf breaks), a shallow thermocline, and inter-annual climate variation associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). These atmospheric and oceanographic conditions create a distinct environment for the development of coral reef habitats in the region, connectivity and diversity of coral species in the region.