preview

Coral Reef Research Paper

Satisfactory Essays

What is a coral reef? How are they created? Well a coral reef is a ridge of rock in the sea formed by the growth and deposit of coral. Corals are tiny animals which belong to the group of other cnidarians include hydras, jellyfish, and sea anemones. Corals are sessile animals, meaning they are not mobile but stay fixed in one place. They feed by reaching out with tentacles to catch prey such as small fish and planktonic animals. Corals live in colonies consisting of many individuals. They secrete a hard calcium carbonate skeleton, which serves as a uniform base or substrate for the colony. The skeleton also provides protection, as the polyps can contract into the structure if predators approach. It is these hard skeletal structures that build

Get Access