Coral Reefs Essay examples

Coral Reefs ecosystems only covered two tracks up to the 1970-80’s and they were biological and geological. From those years, we have been able to study and learn more about coral reefs. We have found that these reefs exist and a continued form such as none reef-building coral ecosystems can have fast structures being built. There is still quite a bit of things we will need to learn such as determining if coral communities are dependent on the abilities of reef building. They are used for structure and providing space to the ecosystem of the reef itself, having biodiversity, and to support the reef in all capabilities. Coral reefs are one of the most distinguish ecosystem in the world, but these are getting threatened by ocean acidification.

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

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).

In the United States, Florida is the only state that has coral reefs that form near the coast. It runs along the east coast from Stuart, located in Martin County, to the Dry Tortugas which are located in the Gulf of Mexico. Along the chain of the Florida Keys is where most of the living coral reefs are also located in the Everglades. “ Coral reef development occurs only in areas with specific environmental characteristics: a solid structure for attachment, relatively warm water temperatures, clear waters low in phosphate and moderate wave action to disperse wastes and bring oxygen and brings oxygen and plankton to the reef.” (www.dep.state.fl.us)

Besides being a spectacle to look at, coral reefs are also one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. In addition to ⅓ of all fish (not just species) spend at least a portion of their lives on a reef, they are also home to mollusks, sponges, turtles, and a plethora of different species of coral (Basic Facts, 2014). Coral reefs also can protect coastlines from wave erosion and also help support fisherman that depend on the reef as their livelihood. Contrary to the

There are many different varieties of coral, each varying in structure. There are Four classes of species of coral, each has its own method of harvesting. One species of coral is LPS and SPS, which means large-polyp stoney and small-polyp stoney. Aquarists write articles informing people about the structure of frogspawn coral, “ they are LPS corals that develop multiple branching heads connected to a single trunk like structure” (Gosnell, 82). Frogspawn is a

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).

Coral Reefs take their time growing at an average rate of 2cm per year, that is why they are so precious.

Coral reefs around the world are in constant decline, and this is a major problem. This is happening due to the direct and indirect effects of overfishing, and pollution that has derived from land. Both these factors have decimated the cover of coral reef species for over two centuries. Often involved in the degradation of coral reefs is a shift from the usual extensive covers of the coral, to extensive covers of microalgae. Examples from around the world have shown that corals can persist and survive through the long-term, chronic stressors, such as overfishing and eutrophication, however cannot seem to survive and recover from short-term, acute disturbances, such as storm damage or freshwater run-off). This is due to the

They can form huge reefs if there is enough of them 2. they don’t have a sufficient amount to create a reef 3.stony corals in colonies can grow huge and weigh tons IV. There are very cool and weird characteristics about corals A. Deep-sea corals occur in deeper organic water B. Corals provide algae with a protected environment C. The algae produce oxygen for the corals 1. Deep-sea corals occur eat plankton and organic matter 2.

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).

Coral reefs are a crucial part of the world, socially, economically, and environmentally. All over the world, coral reefs are being damaged beyond repair and are possibly facing extinction in the future because of natural reasons, such as weather, climate change, tidal changes, predation, and various diseases. Humans are also causing catastrophic damage through pollution, overfishing, and coral mining. Despite the numerous efforts being made to restore the reefs to how they used to be, there is not enough being done, and chances are they will never be the same. Coral reef degradation is manageable, if not almost completely avoidable, at least for the damage that is caused by people. The coral reefs provide crucial resources to us as humans and to the animals living in and around them that is why they should be protected no matter what the cost may be.

Cold water corals form reef structures in the cold deep sea are often defined as self-sustaining biogenic reef frameworks and can be found in any ocean around the world at different depths (Roberts, 2005; Davies and Guinotte, 2011). Reefs are patchy distributed on the sea floor and can develop forming impressive solid structures. These can fairly extend forming complex deep-sea habitats and shaping niches for many different marine species. These frameworks constitute thus a very specific ecosystem, offering different types of habitats (Buhl-Mortensen et al., 1995; Freiwald et al., 2004; Buhl-Mortensen et al., 2010) to different marine organisms. These reefs are thus important hotspots of biodiversity (Roberts et al., 2006) and have a key role in the carbon cycle in the deep sea (Roberts et al., 2006; Thiem et al., 2006).