Coral Growth

Most reef-building corals contain photosynthetic algae, termed zooxanthellae, that live in their tissues. The corals and algae have a mutualistic association. The coral provides the algae a environment and compound

Coral reefs exist all over the world and are generally known as being one of the most diverse, intricate and beautiful of all existing marine habitats. They have many varying structures which are developed by algae and are symbiotic with various reef building corals which are referred to as, zooxanthellae (algae). There are many other factors such as, coralline algae, sponges and other various organisms that are combined with a number of cementation processes which also contribute to reef growth, (CORAL REEFS, 2015).

Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet. There are more than 25,000 known species of organisms and countless others that have yet to be identified (Helvarg, 2000). Reefs thrive on the shallow edge of tropical seas, most often on the eastern edge of continents along warm water currents that brush the coasts. Reefs cannot live in cold waters and are limited by ocean depth and available sunlight. Coral is the foundation of the reef community, providing a three-dimensional structure where thousands of species of vertebrates and invertebrates live and feed. Some species of coral are hard, while others soft. Some are branched, yet others are compact and rounded. Coral is made up of large

First, I am going to talk about the importance of coral reefs. Coral reefs are some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth. They are home to 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard coral, and hundreds of other species. Scientists believe that there are another 1 to 8 million unidentified species (NOAA). According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, new drugs are being developed from

There are many different types of reefs but the most common type of reef is the Fringing Reef. There are also many different types of species that live in this reef. There are tons of different species of fish that live in large groups and come in all different colors. Although, the two main groups of fish that live in this reef are vertebrates and invertebrates. Among the different types of vertebrates living in this reef includes Fish, Sea Snakes, Sea Turtles, Dugongs, and Manatees. These are the only fish that usually swim in large groups. Among the coral reef the invertebrates, which is the most common group of different types of living in this reef, are the constructors and

A coral structure is actually made up of hundreds - thousands of tiny little animals all growing together as a colony. These polyps are the makers of the coral reef and have accumulated over thousands of years to make up the largest living structures in the world. The anemones, which go along with the corals, are typically partnered with clownfish. In this relationship both animals work together in order to benefit each other. The anemone will provide protection for the clownfish, while the clownfish provides food for the anemone (seasky).

Coral reefs are wonderful places in the ocean they can be found in shallow water where it is warm and unpolluted. Funny thing is even though they look like plants they are living organisms. There are many kinds like lettuce coral, fire coral, and leather coral. There is also a lot of sea life like cuttlefish, manta ray, and reef whitetip shark. Speaking of sharks, the coral reef is also where many sharks feed.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world largest living expansion. Stretching more than 2,300 kilometers (approximately 1,429 miles) in length and over 344,000 square kilometers in area this phenomenon takes up a huge portion of Australia’s eastern coast, and even so large it can be identified from space. Seen on the left is an image taken from space of The Great Barrier Reef (Great Barrier Reef from Space). “The Great Barrier Reef is also unique as it extends over 14 degrees of latitude, from shallow estuarine areas to deep oceanic waters” (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park). In terms of composition, the reef is made of a variety of corals built upon dead corals built upon the continental shelf rock below the ocean surface. Sand and sediments carried by currents and waves get trapped within the reef thus expanding the reef more. The newest part of the reef typically faces outward, seaward, while the oldest part, comprised of mainly now dead corals, is more inland near the shallower waters. The waters in which the reef grows range in depth from ten to twenty five meters, with individual variations up to fifty meters in

A coral reef is a ridge formed in shallow ocean water by accumulated calcium-containing exoskeletons of coral animals, certain red algae, and mollusks. Coral reefs are tropical, forming only where surface waters are never cooler than 20° C (68° F).

Mark Boyce: “Fishes as top-down and bottom-up drivers of coral reef community dynamics” -April 6, 2016

Coral reefs are created in shallow tropical waters. The coral reefs make skeletons for itself, and eventually the skeletons build up to create coral reefs. Coral reefs provide habitat for lots of fish and other ocean creatures. By 2050 coral reefs are thought to be extinct due to warmer water damaging the corals. Although the warmer weather causes damage to the coral, coral reefs grow best in water that range between 70-85 fahrenheit.

The coral reefs are part of the Animalia kingdom. According to an article called “ Cold, Dark, and Lonely: Deep-Water Corals Thrive Where The Sun Never Shines”, “algae tend to grow inside corals for oxygen and they require clean and warm waters for survival” (Cairn, 2014).

While the first text stated that the “coral bots” would help the most with the mission to expand coral reefs around the world, the second passage said that another method to improve coral reef growth was to put steel cages underwater close to a reef and supply the cage with a small electric current to attract the reef organisms called polyps. The method of coral bots would probably cost a large amount of money due to the testing and manufacturing. The steel cages on the other hand are just cages made of steel with electric current running through it.

The coral reef is a diverse place with fish, invertebrates, living coral and a host of other organisms that live closely together to provide a diverse community, but a coral reef is not without its issues. Apart from predators the fish on the reef, like land animals, can be attacked by parasites. These parasites can attack a fish feeding upon its blood and other bodily fluids reducing the fish’s ability to fight off infections and disease and in some cases, when the parasite load is particularly bad, even kill the

      Coral reefs are continuously being both built up and decomposed, so different parts of a reef are in varying stages of succession (Richmond, 1993). Coral reefs are very fragile, because reef-building organisms cannot thrive if the surrounding water changes significantly. Coral reefs require very specific conditions in order to grow: a solid structure for the base; warm and consistent water temperatures (averaging between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius); stable salinity; moderate wave action; and clear water that is low in nutrients and plankton. The water on a healthy coral reef is clear because there are very few nutrients, so plankton that would cloud the water are few. In general corals grow slowly, but they are extremely efficient at living and reproducing in these conditions (American Zoologist, pg 524-536).