Informative Essay On Coral Reefs

Corals are tiny immobile animals that live in colonies, where each cluster is called a polyp. Different species build structures of various sizes and shapes, such as brain or fan coral, creating a diverse and complex ecosystem (EPA 2000). Nearly all reef-dwelling corals have a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship with the algae, which live inside the coral polyps and perform photosynthesis, a process that produces food that is shared with the coral (Fagoonee 1999). In addition, the algae share its

And each polyp is support by limestone, the foundation of a reef. The polyp is consisting of mostly stomach topped by a tentacle-bearing mouth. They ingest on planktons and other small marine organisms. A group of polyps live together is called coral colony and overtime, the exceed calcium carbonate from each polyp build up a coral reef. On top of the reef is normally covered by a thin layer of green algae and many fishes depend on it because it is another larva. Coral provides foundations all the other reefs need to survive. It is home for some marine creatures and small fishes. These coral reefs only survive in shade areas with just enough sunlight to produce energy. 98% of all food coral reef consumes are produced by the algae, and without algae, there would be no coral reef. As the polyps grow, they digest each other and only the skeleton is left as proof of the dispute. Another predator of coral is the crown of thorn starfish, which also digest the coral. But some corals received help from shell crabs living in these reefs and fight back from the crown of thorn starfish and leave the coral unharmed. Shrimps also live in these coral reefs since they provided a home and food for the shrimps. Other animals that live on the coral reef include sea urchins, sponges, sea stars, worms, fish, sharks, rays, lobster, octopus, snails and many more. These organism can work together to protect coral reefs from their

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

Consisting of less than 1% of the world oceans, the coral reefs are ancient animals comprising of thin calcium carbonate deposits within the photic layer. Aside from its biologically diverse ecosystems, coral reefs are major source of food for millions and provides habitats and nursery areas for many marine organisms. Coral reefs also act as a physical buffer to protect the coastlines from tropical storms and erosion. In addition, many local communities rely on coral reefs to generate an income through activities such as fishing and diving. However, 75% of the coral reefs are under threat from induced impacts of humans and climate change (Burke, et al., 2011). This essay looks at the human impacts constantly being inflicted on coral reefs.

living in their bodies. These plants help feed the corals, soak up their wastes and

Coral reefs are natural formations that host around twenty-five percent of the world’s marine species, however, these reefs are majorly threatened (“Air”). The Great Barrier Reef in particular is an important marine location, home to major marine diversity with over 3,000 reefs over 1,400 miles (“Great” World Book). The Great Barrier Reef is a limestone formation made of coral polyps and algae, and lays off the coast of Queensland, Australia. For many years, this reef has been exposed to several threats. The threats facing the Great Barrier Reef include pollution, invasive species, and climate change.

Climate change has posed a serious threat to large scales of coral reefs, three extreme heatwaves damaged the coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef in 1988, 2002 and 2016.Professor Terry Hughes, director of corals reef study, claimed that his team sent 100 people underwater last year to conduct research and found coral bleaching relate tightly to where the hot water is. The rise in water temperature is also due to climate change. A significant number of corals will die over the coming years if we don’t take any measures to slow down global warming and protect corals.

When thinking of oceans, people imagine the only living things that are in the waters are fish and small organisms. But there is much more some individuals may not know. Some shallow and deep oceans are home to coral. These groups of coral are classified as marine invertebrates. They breathe and consume microscopic animals called zooplankton. Coral reefs receive their energy from the sunlight, they turn it sugars for their energy. The marine invertebrates are living things that are a vital part of the ocean and human beings. Saldy these communities are in major trouble

It is estimated that by the end of the century, climate change and warmer oceans will kill coral reefs. Lubofsky follows the studies of graduate student Hannah Barkley in this article. Hannah Barkley has been studying coral health in the western Pacific. She investigates how coral reefs respond to climate change and which corals can survive in this climate change. Coral reefs “provide habitats for 25 percent of all marine species” (Lubofsky 28) and protect shorelines from storm damage. Barkley moved her research from “Cape Cod to the Rock Islands of Palau to study reef communities” (Lubofsky 28) since temperature and acidity have risen in some Palauan bays. To obtain the temperatures in the Palauan reefs, Barkley and her colleagues set up a network of underwater temperature sensors around the barrier reef and inside the lagoons. One of Barkley’s advisors, Cohen, found that “ocean warming affects coral reefs in at least two ways” (Lubofsky 29). First, an increase in temperature by 1oC can break down the symbiotic relationship between the coral and algae causing the corals to become bleached and die. Coral bleaching happens when the symbiotic relationship is gone and photosynthesis ceases to occur. Second, warming “stratifies the ocean into warmer surface layers and denser,

Coral reef ecosystems around the globe are threatened by human interferences and climate change. This has led to many scientists conducting studies on global coral reef ecosystems to gain a better understanding of the cause and effects of coral reef damage. In both Hodgson’s (1999) and Carpenter et al.’s (2008) studies, they are aware of the continuous degradation of global coral reef ecosystems. Hodgson's study involved conducting a survey on global coral reef ecosystems to see whether human actions were affecting the health of supposed pristine Coral reefs. Carpenter et al. incorporated Hodgson’s study into a compiled study about the possible extinction of reef building corals due to climate change and anthropogenic effects. Carpenter’s

Anthozoans include sea anemones, gorgonians, as well as soft and hard corals. Soft corals resemble plants and have a soft structure. Hard corals form their skeleton from calcium carbonate, which eventually turns to rock. Hard corals are grouped in Order Scleractinia, which includes 40 Families and over 4,000 species (WoRMS 2018). These are the foundation of coral reefs.

An issue that interests me is the destruction of coral. Many of the coral reefs all around the world are being destroyed, but I want to focus on the coral reefs in Grand Cayman. The beaches of Cayman are constantly being traveled by boats, jet-skis, and cruise ships that allow people to enjoy many of the marvelous diving spots and fishing locations. However these boats can have a deadly effect on the aquatic life. Although many Captains do not say directly, they apparently assume that the ocean floor is empty or only has rocks than coral. Many divers assume that coral are hardy rocklike entities but today it is becoming common to dismiss the delicacy that these coral reefs need. Countless numbers of coral have fallen victim to the repetitive

Coral reefs are created from very small organisms called polyps that attach to any hard surface they land on. Once they are settled, they take carbon dioxide from the ocean waters and secrete a limestone substance out to create a protective skeleton like layer. After sediment and limestone have accumulated, the

     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).

Coral reefs are built by small colonial species called coral polyps, by converting the carbon dioxide absorbed by sea from the environment into limestone. The reef building corals contain an algae called zooxanthellae in their tissues that helps the corals to synthesize calcium carbonate. The calcium carbonate is then attached to some hard surface like the edge of an island or along the sea shore. Based on how the calcium carbonate is attached to the surface, there are three types of reefs: fringing, barrier or atoll [3].