Coral Reefs( Barrier and Patch Reef
Founded in the surface(barrier) and in the ocean floor(patch
What are Coral Reefs?
Reefs in the Florida Keys, for example, hold at least 45 species of stony coral, 37 species of octocoral, five species of sea turtles, 500 species of fish, about 1,700 species of mollusks and hundreds of species of sponges. In addition to their incredible value as wildlife habitat, coral reefs protect coastlines from storms and provide billions of dollars of food and jobs every year to people around the world.
Clown fish swims around coral reefs for protection.
7 Abiotic Factors About Coral Reefs
-Light
-Wave Action
-Aeriel Exposure
-Salinity
-Latitude
-Turbidity and sedimentation
Top 10 Things To Do On The Great Barrier Reef
Weather
Temperature
Precipatation
Gear
- Flippers
-Sunscreen
-Bathing Suit
-Swims Shorts
Recreational Activities
Turtle
Shark
Clown Fish
Sea Snake
Manatee
Reef Squid
Lobster
Shrimp
Crab
Cooperation and Competition
Most crabs are omnivores, feeding on a wide variety of food items including algae, worms, mollusks, bacteria, other crustaceans, fungi, and even detritus.
Crustaceans are scavengers, cleansing the reef of decaying animal remains. Others are active predators or omnivores. Many are preyed upon by coral reef fishes.
Threats
Endangered Species
The whole coral reef ecosystem is endangered because of pollution and human presence.
Biome Changes
Global Importance
5 Fascinating Facts About Coral Reefs & The Hyberlink
2. Though corals are animals, they do rely on photosynthesis to survive. But the coral polyps aren't doing the actual photosynthesizing. Microscopic algae, or zooxanthellae, live within the cells lining the digestive cavity of the polyp. As much as 90 percent of the energy a polyp needs comes from this symbiotic relationship. The other 10 percent comes from hunting the polyp does by extending its tentacles to catch prey.
3. Reefs formed by corals are one of the most bio diverse marine areas on the planet, housing hundreds and even thousands of species. The diversity is due to the fact that reefs are an important location for finding food, shelter, mates and places to reproduce. Reefs also act as nurseries for large fish species, keeping them safe until they are large enough to strike out into the deeper ocean.
4. Coral reefs are important to the development of new medicines. According to NOAA, "Coral reef plants and animals are important sources of new medicines being developed to treat cancer, arthritis, human bacterial infections, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, viruses, and other diseases."
5. Coral reefs are so valuable to the fishing and tourism industries, as well as protecting shorelines from storm damage, that destroying just 1 kilometer of coral reef means the loss of between $137,000 to $1,200,000 over a 25-year period, according to theWorld Resources Institute. And yet, nearly 60 percent of the world's coral reefs are threatened by human activity.