What Kind Of Animals Live In The Coral Reef

CORAL REEF

Location | Habitat | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links

LOCATION: Coral reefs are generally institute in clear, tropical oceans. Coral reefs form in waters from the surface to about 150 feet (45 meters) deep because they need sunlight to survive. The three types of reefs include fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls. Fringing reefs occur along shorelines of continents and islands and are usually constitute in Hawaii and the Caribbean. Barrier reefs are found further offshore than fringing reefs, occurring about often in the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean area. Atolls are a series of low coral islands surrounding a central lagoon, frequently constitute in the Indo-Pacific. The largest reef in the globe, the Keen Barrier Reef in Australia is longer than 1200 miles (1900 km). That's longer than the distance between Seattle, WA and Los Angeles, CA!

HABITAT: Coral reefs demand water that is betwixt 68 - 82°F (twenty - 28°C), which is often located along the eastern shores of state. Reefs unremarkably develop in areas that have a lot of wave action considering the waves bring in food, nutrients and oxygen to the reef. Waves too forbid sediment from falling on the reef. Reefs need calcium from the water to grow, which is more often available in shallow warm waters.

PLANTS: The sunday is the source of energy for the coral reef ecosystem. Institute plankton, called phytoplankton, algae and other plants convert light free energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. As animals eat the plants and other animals, energy is passed through the food chain. Reef building corals work together with microscopic algae, chosen zooxanthellae, that live in their tissue. The zooxanthellae provide oxygen and food to the coral through photosynthesis. The coral polyp gives the algae a home, and the carbon dioxide it needs through respiration. Besides zooxanthellae, algae and seagrasses are the main types of plants in the coral reef ecosystem. These plants give nutrient and oxygen to the animals that live on the reef. Seagrasses are especially important because they provide shelter for juvenile reef animals similar conch and lobster.

ANIMALS: Did you know that there can be equally many different types of fish in 2 acres of coral reef in Southeast Asia as there are species of birds on the entire continent of Northward America? Shocking, isn't it? Coral reefs only make upwards nearly ane% of the bounding main floor, but they house nearly 25% of life in the ocean. Animals use coral reefs either as a stopping point, like an oasis, as they travel the deep bluish sea, or they live equally residents at the reef. The corals themselves are the most abundant animal on the reef. They are tiny organisms called polyps, that attach themselves to the difficult reef and live at that place forever. The reef is like a giant flat building in New York City and the coral polyps live together in each apartment. Corals are closely related to sea anemones and sea jellies, and apply their tentacles for defense and to capture their casualty. Corals can be a variety of colors, white, red, pink, green, blue, orange and purple, due to natural pigments and the zooxanthellae in their tissues.

Other animals that live on the coral reef include sea urchins, sponges, bounding main stars, worms, fish, sharks, rays, lobster, shrimp, octopus, snails and many more. Many of these animals work together as a team like the coral polyps and zooxanthellae. This teamwork is called symbiosis. One example of symbiosis on the reef is the anemonefish and sea anemone. The sea anemone's tentacles provide protection and prophylactic for the fish and their eggs, while the fish protects the anemone from predators, such as butterflyfish. Sometimes anemonefish even remove parasites from their home anemone.

PEOPLE AND CORAL REEFS: Coral reef ecosystems are of import for many reasons. They remove and recycle carbon dioxide, which is a gas that contributes to global warming. Reefs protect state from harsh weather by arresting the bear on from strong waves and storms. Reefs provide food, for case, lobster and conch. Coral reefs are also a huge tourist allure. Coral reefs are a big source of biodiversity. Without the reef, many of these plants and animals would die. Some people call up coral reefs may provide important medicines for people. For instance, some coral skeletons can be used by humans as a bone substitute in reconstructive os surgery. Coral reefs are besides a useful educational tool. People can learn well-nigh biomes and ecosystems, and the interrelationship between organisms and their surround past studying coral reefs.

Coral reefs are being destroyed at an alarming rate. It is estimated that we have already lost x% of the worlds reefs, and scientists say that in the next fifty years many of the coral reefs on Earth will be gone. This destruction is often continued with human activity: pollution, sewage, erosion, irresponsible fishing, poor tourism practices, and global warming.

At that place are some simple things that yous can exercise to help coral reefs. Don't put chemicals downwardly your drain or on your backyard. Instead use biodegradable products. Even though you lot may be far from a coral reef ecosystem, these products stop up in the watershed and may eventually pollute waters that support coral. Conserve water. The less water you lot apply, the less runoff and wastewater somewhen find their way into our oceans. Visit a coral reef! Many vacation spots accept beautiful coral reefs. When you get, hire local guides. This way you'll learn virtually the reef from the people who know it best. When you visit a coral reef, treat it with care, practise not touch or step on the corals. Get out the animals where you plant them and do not selection them upwardly and move them. If you have an aquarium, buy fish raised in captivity, non caught in the wild. Likewise, don't use live rock in your aquarium. Although this invertebrate-encrusted rock is yet legally harvested in some places, its can hurt the reef habitat. Join a group that is working to protect coral reefs. Pick up trash when you come across it, this manner it won't find it'south style to the ocean. Learn more about coral reefs! Surf the Net for information about coral reefs and marine conservation organizations. Later on all, noesis is power.

GAMES:

• Coral Reef Crossword Puzzle
• Answers to the Coral Reef Crossword Puzzle
• Coral Reef Activity Volume

LINKS:

Bounding main World - Coral Reefs

Coral Realm

SeaWorld - Corals and Coral Reefs

NOAA National Ocean Service - Corals Discovery Kit

Reef Didactics Network

NOAA'southward Coral Reef Information Organisation

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Source: http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/coralreef.html

Posted by: coleywhely1977.blogspot.com

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