OCEAN CURRENT AND TIDES – CORAL REEFS

Coral Reefs are the structures that are composed through the skeletons of the colonial invertebrates under the water. These invertebrates that stay under the water are commonly known as the Corals. Corals that are responsible for building the reefs are known as hermatypic or hard corals as they have the ability to extract the calcium carbonate from the saline water in the sea for the making of hard and durable kind of exoskeleton that can save their soft body. There is another type of coral present in the sea bed that is not responsible for the making of these reefs and is known as Soft Corals.

About Coral Polyps

Coral Polyps are the animals that are responsible for the making of the reefs under the sea bed along with different forms like large reefs, colonies, flowing fans along small organisms also. There are a thousand types of corals that are discovered and are specified through categories in terms of their adaptation with warm water, shallow water, tropical seas, cold water, deep dark ocean beds, and so on. Every single coral is considered as a polyp; along with the passing of time, the reefs of the corals grow gradually into a little exoskeleton until they form big features in the marine surrounding. From the Aleutian Islands on the coast of Alaska to the tropical warm Caribbean Sea, corals are found everywhere in the ocean bed. The masses of the coral reefs are found in the clear shallow water of the tropical and subtropical regions. The largest among these coral reefs is present in Australia which has a length of 1500 miles i.s equal to 2400 kilometers.

Diversity of Coral Reefs

Due to the multiplicity of life that is found under the sea bed, the Coral Reefs are often called the “rainforest of the sea”. It has been observed that 25 % of the fishes that are present in the ocean are dependent on the coral reefs that are good in health. Apart from that, fishes and other organisms find shelter, food, and places for reproduction in these coral reefs. The reefs of the deepwater are also known as mounds and support a large variety of sea life in the barren world in terms of comparison.

Coral Characteristics

Zooxanthellae are the photosynthetic algae that maintain a symbiotic relationship with the corals that live in the shallow water and are responsible for the building of these reefs. Zooxanthellae require a protected environment along with the compounds in order to carry on the process of photo-synthesis which is provided by these corals. In return for those compounds oxygen and food in the form of carbohydrates are provided by the algae which are used by the corals. It also helps in removing the wastes from the corals which results in benefits for both the members forming an association of partnership known as mutualism.

However, for the Deep-sea corals, there is a lack of Zooxanthellae as these corals stay in the deep, cold water of the oceans. Therefore these deep-sea corals depend on planktons and other organic matter in order to fulfill the needs of energy.

Benefits of the Coral Reef Ecosystems

There are several benefits provided through the coral reefs in terms of safety and security. The coastlines enjoy safety from the sea storms and the erosion of the soil. These coral reefs are also considered as the source of new medicines and food. Besides that, it has been surveyed that over a half billion people are dependent on these reefs for food, income, and the safety of their shelters. Millions of dollars are added to the local business through fishing and diving and snorkeling near these reefs with an estimation of approx ten billion US dollars per year.

Threats to the Coral Reefs

It is very unfortunate that these beautiful reefs also contain severe threats. The natural threats to these reefs are considered to be predators, storms, and diseases. Besides that, the other threats are considered to be those which are caused artificially. These artificial threats include pollution, sedimentation, and fishing practices that are not sustainable along with the climatic changes that tend to raise the temperature of the ocean resulting in the acidification of the ocean water. These often lead to coral bleaching and deaths of the corals while the other factors cause severe damage to the graceful ecosystem.

Conclusion

In this topic, it has been discussed that the magnificent reefs of the corals that are present under the sea bed. These corals are made by the organisms that are called Coral Polyps and their formational process has also been described by the researcher in this topic. Moreover, the researcher has discussed the characteristics of the different types of corals that are present on the sea bed. Apart from that, the coral reefs provide several benefits to the local people in terms of safety and security which are also discussed in this topic. Besides that these corals face several threats from the people due to several activities, which the researcher has also highlighted.