Coral Reefs
what we know about coral reefs
What are coral reefs and how do they work?
Coral is the heart of the reef, the most vital component of living organisms and environmental conditions forming a reef. Sunlight is important to the coral reef for photosynthesis. They protect the shores from eroding and storm damage. They act as a barrier causing a calm lagoon for the sea grass.
Threats for Coral Reefs
- Sedimentation-- poor land use
- Eutrophication-- over fertilizing causes sewage pollution
- Overfishing-- destructive fishing techniques ( dynamite fishing)
- Storms & Hurricanes-- also damages the coral reefs
- Diseases-- black and red-band disease
Benefits
Benefits of coral reefs are nursery for the animals, because without the coral reefs, we would not have organisms to grow and mature well enough for the humans to get the food as we got today. They have also provides an environment an abundance of nutrients, when coral reefs are damaged, they are less able to support organisms that inhabit them.
Save coral reefs
Ways to preserve the coral reefs are cleaning the ocean daily and the trash around it. Conserve water because the less water you use, it will most likely reduce the amount of runoff , and waste water is likely to pollute our water. Also do not use chemically enhanced pesticides and fertilizers because these products end up in the watershed that support the reefs.
What Are Coral Reefs And What's Their Purpose?