Coral reefs are arguably the world's most beautiful habitats. Coral reefs have been called the rainforests of the oceans, because of the rich diversity of life they support. Scientists have not yet finished counting the thousands of different species of plants and animals that use or live in the coral reef. They are massive underwater structures formed by the limestone skeletons of tiny invertebrate animals. Reefs house a greater diversity of body forms, chemistry, and animal phyla. Coral animals begin life as free-floating larvae, but settle on the sea floor in sedentary colonies. The term "coral" applies both to these animals and to their skeletons, particularly the skeletons of stone-like corals (Discover 1997). .
Many different organisms, including mollusks, sponges, and worms, help shape reefs, but hard corals and various algae are the major architects. In effect, the corals build limestone, because their skeletons are made of Calcium Carbonate. The skeletons deposited by these corals and other organisms accumulate, along with sand and other debris, to form the backbone of the reef. Over tens of thousands of years, chemical and mechanical changes turn the reef into true rock.
The body of a coral animal consists of a polyp, which is the living portion of the coral. A polyp is a hollow, cylindrical structure attached at one end to a surface, the other end is a mouth surrounded by tentacles, which gather food and can sting prey to paralyze it. Microscopic algae live within the animal tissues in a symbiotic relationship. The algae turn sunlight into carbon and sugars, which are then available to the polyp. In turn the polyp filters particles out of the water and excretes waste (nitrogen and phosphorus) that becomes available to the symbiotic algae. It's this very tight nutrient recycling within the coral itself that allows these corals to live in very low nutrient waters.
There are three kinds of reefs: atolls, barrier reefs, and fringing reefs.
Coral Reef Coral Reefs are the one of the most diverse and beautiful underwater communities. ... So what are coral reefs? ... The third type of coral reefs are atolls. ... A variety of animals live in coral reefs. ... Corals and coral reefs are extremely sensitive. ...
Coral reefs are arguably the world's most beautiful habitats. ... There are three types of coral reefs: fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls. ... There are many more factors which add to the destruction of the coral reefs, which if not stopped it will destroy all coral reefs. ... Died corals lead further on to the death of the reef. ... aving the Coral Reefs" Futurists....
Coral reefs are arguably the world s most beautiful habitats. ... There are three types of coral reefs: fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls. ... There are many more factors which add to the destruction of the coral reefs, which if not stopped it will destroy all coral reefs. ... Died corals lead further on to the death of the reef. ... There have been many studies on how long the coral reefs will last, and they all agree that within fifty years, coral reefs existence will be cut in half . ...
Coral reefs are arguably the world's most beautiful habitats. ... There are three types of coral reefs: fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls. ... There are many more factors which add to the destruction of the coral reefs, which if not stopped it will destroy all coral reefs. ... Dead corals lead further on to the death of the reef. ... One of the biggest threats to coral reefs is tourists. ...
Coral reefs even help reduce global warming by taking carbon dioxide out of the air. Coral reefs provide a house for many species. ... There is evidence that suggests coral reefs could potentially provide important medicines, including anti-cancer drugs and a compound that blocks out UV rays. ... Organisms in coral reefs could possibly, make a cure for cancer! ... The author's purpose of this article was to explain the uses that coral reefs provide us, and why we should help protect them for years to come. ...
Coral reefs are living organisms that live and thrive in our world's oceans. ... Coral reefs are more than just another creature in the ocean. ... When boaters come too close to shore where coral reef systems exist, the propeller can strike the corals and break through them. ... Another reason why coral reefs are dying is due to coral bleaching. ... Coral reef systems are the "rain forest" of the ocean. ...
These reefs provide a house for many species. If the coral reefs were to become extinct than future generations would not have the benefits that theses animals have to offer, such as possible medicines, pest control, and carbon dioxide control. ... Right now we are doing restructuring procedures and learning that bone tissue and blood vessels spread into the coral graft and eventually bone replaces most of the coral implant. ... There is evidence that suggests coral reefs could potentially provide important medicines, including anti-cancer drugs and a compound that blocks out UV rays. ... In c...
This is a paper about Coral reefs and remote sensing. First, I will give some background information on coral reefs. ... Coral reef color essentially refers to digital remote sensing of coral reefs. ... Coral reefs are some of the oldest ecosystems on earth. ... These corals provide the reef foundations that is home to millions of reef species. ...
Coral reefs are arguably the world's most beautiful habitats. ... (Encarta, 2002) The richest regions of the world's coral reefs are the South-East Asian seas and Indian Ocean; both combined account for over half of the world's coral reefs with the coral reefs in South-East Asia constitute 30% of the world's coral reefs (Lin,S.H, 2000). Coral reefs are generally classified into three types: barrier reefs, fringing reefs, and atolls. ... Hence, the coral reefs need to generate new cells for reef-building. ... Therefore effective reef management is crucial to conserving t...