Corals the rainforests of the sea. Corals’ and rainforests are very important to the world because they have a very important function. Carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, the carbon dioxide then forms a week acid called carbonic acid this acid in it called carbonic iron, which stays in the carbon carbonate. This acid cannot make limestone but dose dissolve in ready-formed limestone and the reefs need it to produce limestone. Rainforests give out oxygen. Corals are like rainforest in the sea with al the reefs and animals. Corals are also compared with cities because they are like cities the fish are like people and the corals are homes to the fish.
Reefs are locater all over the world. The biggest reef in the world is the Great Barrier Reef located in Australia. The then largest coral reefs are:
1) The Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea; Australia, 2,500 km in length
2) Red sea coral reef, Red sea, Near Israel; Egypt and Djibouti, 1,900 km in length.
3) New Caledonia Barrier Reef, Pacific Ocean; Caledonia, 1,500 km in length.
4) The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, between Belize, Honduras, Mexico and Guatemala, 943 km in length.
5) Florida Reef, Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico; Florida, 322 km in length.
6) Andros Coral Reef, Bahamas between the islands of Nassau and Andros, 200 km in length.
7) Zhongsha Islands, South China Sea, 81 km in length.
8) Saya Del Malha, Indian Ocean, 40,000 square km in length.
9) Great Chagos Bank, The Maldives, 12,000 square km in length.
10) Reed Bank, South China Sea, 8,866 Square km in length.
There are a lot more wonderful reefs around the world but these are the ones that are the biggest and most popular ones.
Coral reefs don’t just grow they need a lot of things to stay alive just like hum...
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...ng problem to the coral reefs.). (end of part 4)
Oceanographers and scientist are still finding out how to save the coral reefs but they already have some theories that might help save the reefs like; improve water quality (high water temperature can kill coral polyps and coral.), create awareness around the world, more nature conservatives (protect reefs from fishers and nets). Some of the practical ways are to use less water (less water = less pollution, less water waste.), drive less (fossil fuels can end up in the ocean and kill the reefs, use public transport or carpool.) and deposit your trash properly so that nothing ends up in the sea.
The reefs need help and the scientist and oceanographers are doing everything to save them. They say that if people don’t think about these things they estimate that in 2050 70 percent of the reefs will be gone.
Earth, an endless source of wonder and beauty, produced the Great Barrier Reef. Hustling and bustling, the Reef thrives like a busy city, teeming with life. Sheltering thousands, corals, maintain the well-being of the Reef; however, the world threatens its nature and delicacy. Populations growing and technological advances increasing, the world becomes more and more disconnected with the natural world, posing an alarming risk for the planet we live on. Although many organizations try to keep the oceans clean, because of human interference and unnatural occurrences, the Great Barrier Reef needs scientific help to adapt corals to new conditions for means of survival, putting pressure on the Australian government to save their ocean environment.
The increase in ocean temperatures are causing the reef to die out; reefs structures don’t have the ability to keep up pace with the ever so changing climate 4. Rigel suggests that coral reefs will eventually die out from the erosion of the warm ocean4. The increase in climate change is leading to ocean acidification. Much of the gases that enter our air from pollution also dissolves into the ocean. With this occurring, corals cannot absorb the calcium they need to maintain their skeletons. The stony skeletons that support coral reefs will dissolve. If nothing is done to stop so much carbon dioxide from going into the atmosphere, this will increase and more and more coral reefs will be destroyed and die
Around the world, their are beautiful places called “the seven wonders of the natural world”. These sites are fantastic because of there fascinating views and the fact that they were naturally made, not by humans. One of these seven natural wonders of the natural world is the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef was formed by corals growing on submerged islands. The sea level then continued to rise, “leading to more corals growing and forming.” (Zimmerman). The Great Barrier Reef is “a mosaic of 2,900 individual reefs” and can be “seen from space and is not only the world's largest coral reef system but also the largest structure
We need coral reefs, and not just to make the ocean look pretty and colourful, they are more than just that…
The world’s coral reefs are quintessential to global biodiversity, so much so that they are often referred to as the "rainforests of the sea". Although their actual space occupied by reefs is relatively small, constituting less than 0.1% of the world's ocean surface, they support over 25% of all marine species on earth. They provide complex and varied marine habitats that support a wide range of other organisms including, but not limited to, fish, mollusks, worms, crustaceans, echinoderms, sponges, tunicates and other cnidarians. Some of these animals feed directly on the corals, while others graze on algae on the reef. The reef also provides a protective habitat for many of these animals.
All over the world coral reefs play an important part in our environment. Not only are the reefs colorful and beautiful to look at but the coral reefs house several different types of fish and other sea creatures. Coral reefs have started to decline over the years due to “climate change, El Nino events, overfishing, pollution and other pressures” (Newnham 1). A healthy coral reef can also collapse due to a natural disaster (Newnham 2). There can be several different reasons why a coral reef has started to decline or has been destroyed.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world, it protects coastlines from the dangerous effects of tropical storms and wave action, it is also home to more than 11,ooo marine life. It is one of the world’s largest coral reefs, so large in fact that you can see if from space.
The Great Barrier Reef is home to a remarkable number of organisms. The coral itself is made up of the skeletons of tiny, flowerlike water animals called polyps, held together by a limestone substance produced by a type of algae. Hundreds...
Coral Reefs are said to be the “tropical rainforest” of the sea. They are home to over 25% of all marine life (http://coralreefalliance.org.stories/storyReader$77). Over the past few decades they have been subjected to destructive anthropogenic practices. Some of the major threats to coral reefs include sedimentation, water pollution, harmful recreational activities, and global warming. All of these things cause stress on corals and can potentially cause mortality. Corals are made up of two parts, a polyp and zooxanthellae. A polyp is a calcerous body that grows from a hard part of the ocean floor. Zooxanthellae is a photosynthetic algae which lives in the polyp and provide energy for themselves and the coral. In many cases, corals undergo “bleaching,” which is a process where corals lose the zooxantheallae or chlorophyll pigment, and turn white (Wilkinson et all). After bleaching corals can survive for several months. It is possible for corals to recover by hosting more zooxantheallae, but it can take between 5 and 50 years for them to recover completely (Wilkinson et all, 1999).
Some ways to help our coral reefs are conserve water: The less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater will pollute our oceans. Help reduce pollution: Walk, bike or ride the bus. Fossil fuel emissions from cars and industry raise lead to ocean warming which causes mass-bleaching of corals and can lead to widespread destruction of reefs. Research what you put on your lawn: Although you may live thousands of miles from a coral reef ecosystem, these products flow into the water system, pollute the ocean, and can harm coral reefs and marine life. Dispose of your trash properly: Don't leave unwanted fishing lines or nets in the water or on the beach. Any kind of litter pollutes the water and can harm the reef and the fish. Support reef-friendly businesses: Ask the fishing, boating, hotel, aquarium, dive or snorkeling operators how they protect the reef. Be sure they care for the living reef ecosystem and ask if the organization responsible is part of a coral reef ecosystem management effort. Plant a tree: Trees reduce runoff into the oceans. You will also contribute to reversing the warming of our planet and the rising temperatures of our oceans. Practice safe and responsible diving and snorkeling: Do not touch the reef or anchor your boat on the reef. Contact with the coral will damage the delicate coral animals, and anchoring on the reef can kill it, so look for sandy bottom or use moorings if available. Volunteer for a coral reef cleanup: You don't live near a coral reef? Then do what many people do with their vacation: visit a coral reef. Spend an afternoon enjoying the beauty of one of the most diverse ecosystems on the Earth. Contact your government representatives: Demand they take action
That’s not to say that the Great Barrier Reef has not suffered its own damage. It has and will continue to suffer in the future. Corals use these products to make proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, and produce calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is what the coral uses to make its hard skeleton.
This article discusses how important the organisms symbiotic with coral reefs are, as well as how important coral reefs are to our environment. Also explained is how natural and non natural things things like hurricanes and overfishing affects them. A study is quoted about how water acidity also plays a role in the bleaching of corals. Lastly, restoration and conservation efforts are discussed and how we could possibly help our oceans.
The Great Barrier Reef is an exemplary model of the famous exotic coral reef seen in a copy of the National Geographic or the popular animated film Finding Nemo. Located on the coast of Australia, it is known as the “largest biological organism in the world” (“Human Impact on the Great Barrier Reef” par. 1). The idea bears that coral reefs are again not an assortment of organisms functioning separately but rather working together to thrive. The groups of coral that are seen in t...
Located in tropical ocean waters, coral reefs provide priceless resources to both human and marine life. The leading natural cause of destruction among the coral reefs is global warming. Other natural causes are earthquakes, hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons. The destruction to the coral reefs from these natural disasters is minimal compared to the dangers caused by man. Man-made destruction has a much wider impact on the health of the coral reefs. This destruction includes over-fishing, damage from anchors, aquarium industry, overgrowth of seaweed, and being smothered by sediments.
These reefs provide a house for many species. If the coral reefs were to become