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The coral reefs are known as the colorful festival in the ocean. Most of the animals in coral reefs have a great advantage over other marine species. but let’s get to know what coral reefs are first!
Coral Reefs Specifications:
It’s an underwater ecosystem, located a few meters below the surface formed by colonies and coral polyps held by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals. These corals belong to the family of sea anemones and jellyfish. Coral secrets hard carbonate supports and protects the coral. They grow in sunny shallow, and warm water from the surface providing habitat and protection for the creatures there. They appeared 482 million years ago.
Importance of Coral Reefs And The Animals Living There:
They represent Only 0.1% of the world’s ocean’s area but 25% of the marine ecosystem lives here due to the habitat diversity. They have declined by 50% since 1950 due to sensitivity to water conditions facing excessive nutrients, and ocean heat variation found at shallow depths in tropical water.
They provide also a great ecosystem for fisheries with an annual economic value from 30 to 375 billion dollars.
Location Of Coral Reefs:
Coral reefs sprawl across approximately 284,300 square kilometers of our oceans, painting vibrant ecosystems beneath the waves. The heart of this underwater wonderland lies in the Indo-Pacific region, embracing the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, and the vast expanse of the Pacific, claiming a staggering 91.9% of the total reef coverage.
Southeast Asia emerges as a key player, contributing 32.3% to this aquatic tapestry, while the Pacific, encompassing the likes of Australia, makes up a significant 40.8%. On the flip side, the Atlantic and Caribbean regions hold their own, albeit more modestly, accounting for 7.6% of the global coral reef landscape.
Despite their global presence, coral reefs have a strict residency requirement, favoring the warm embrace of tropical waters. They thrive within a narrow band straddling the equator, from approximately 30° N to 30° S, where the conditions are just right. Shallow-water reefs, where the magic truly unfolds, shy away from depths exceeding 50 meters (160 ft), opting for sun-drenched shallows instead
Coral Reefs are rare in the Americas and Africa.
How do Animals In Coral Reefs Adapt?
Polyps, the main organism in the coral reef ecosystem build exoskeletons around them to protect their soft bodies. Even after death, the polyp’s exoskeletons remains. They grow slowly for a few inches not exceeding 4 maximum. Species living here eat reef algae preventing them from overloading the coral reefs, their color also helps them to blend in the reef ecosystem making it harder for predators to spot.
How To Protect The Coral Reefs And The Animals Living There?
To better know this process, the polyps are composed of algae which gives them the color(in exchange the algae provide oxygen through photosynthesis).If polyps get stressed by pollution, it will release their algae making the reefs bleach, a true fact that the coral reefs are unhealthy and getting damaged. To prevent this:
-Don’t use chemicals when you swim(sun-blocks)as they damage coral reefs.
-Do Not touch coral reefs.
-Do not capture coral reef organisms.
Cool Facts:
-There are coral reefs located deeper in cold water and open seas(little is known about them).
-There are 7000 fish species living in coral reefs.
Who Lives Here:
Other Ocean Habitats:
The Life In The Sandy Seafloor
Unveiling the Enigmatic Community of Cold Seep
