coral reef

CORAL REEFS

Almost every one of us have heard and most of you have seen the Coral reefs but did you know what actually these are:

As a mariner its important to know about the marine life, that was one reason I have chosen this topic for my today’s short presentation.

GM, my scheme of presentation will be as flashed:

DEFINATION OF CORAL REEF

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CORAL AND CORAL POLYP

WHERE WE CAN FIND CORAL

CONSTRUCTION OF CORAL REEFS

CONDITIONS FOR GROWTH OF CORAL REEFS

TYPES OF CORAL REEFS

THREAT TO CROAL REEFS

WHAT SHOULD A MARINER DO IN CORAL RICH AREAS

FUTURE OF CORAL REEFS

CONCLUSION

What is a coral reef?

Coral reefs are huge structures made of limestone that is deposited by living things. There are thousands of species that live in coral reefs, but only a fraction actually produces the limestone that builds the reef. Coral reefs support over 25% of all known marine species. They are one of the most complex ecosystems on the planet, and are home to over 4,000 different types of fish, 700 species of coral and thousands of other plants and animals.

A good way to imagine a coral reef is to think of it as a bustling city or community, with the buildings made of coral, and thousands of inhabitants coming and going, carrying out their business. In this sense, a coral reef is like a metropolis under the sea.

What is coral?

Although coral is often mistaken for a rock or a plant, it is actually composed of tiny, fragile animals called coral polyps. When we say "coral" we are actually referring to these animals and the skeletons they leave behind after they die.

Although there are hundreds of different species of corals, they are generally classified as "hard coral" or "soft coral".

Hard corals grow in colonies and are the architects of coral reefs. They include such species as brain coral and elkhorn coral. Their skeletons are made out of calcium carbonate (also known as limestone) which is hard and eventually becomes rock. Hard corals are hermatypes or reef-building corals and need tiny algae called zooxanthellae (pronounced zo-zan-THEL-ee) to survive. Generally, when we talk about "coral" we are referring to hard corals.

Soft corals such as sea fingers and sea whips, are soft and bendable and often resemble plants or trees. These corals do not have stony skeletons, but instead grow wood-like cores for suppor...

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...s are considered as part of a larger watershed, the recognization of the complexity of environmental stresses can be understood. Management plans can be developed to reduce impacts to mangroves, seagrasses and the reef ecosystem, based upon accurate data and a better understanding of the system. EPA is in the process of developing guidance for a watershed approach to coral ecosystem protection.

CONCLUSION

Corals provide shelter for nearly one quarter of all known marine species. The reefs are home to over 4000 species of fish, 700 species of coral, and thousands of other forms of plant and animal life. Living coral reefs are the foundation of marine life, and this also means that they are essential for human life, but all over the world they are dead or dying because people are destroying them at a very fast rate. Already 10% have been lost, and there are predictions that 705 of all corals on the planet will be destroyed in 20 to 40 years unless people stop doing what they are doing now – i.e., pollution, sewage, erosion, cyanide fishing, bad tourism.

We need coral reefs, and not just to make the ocean look pretty and colourful, they are more than just that…

eggs.