CORAL REEFS

By: Anthony HandEnvironmental Science

Period 5

Location of Coral ReefsCoral reefs develop in

shallow, warm water, usually near land

Coral prefer the temperatures between 70˚ and 85˚ F

They are located in Africa, off the southern coast of India, in the Red Sea, and off the coasts of NE and NW Australia

Organisms Living in Coral ReefsSpongesCorals & AnemonesSea WormsEchinodermsCrustaceansMollusksCoral Reef FishesUnusual Reef FishesSharks & RaysMarine ReptilesMarine Mammals

Types of Reefs and Types of Corals~ Fringing reefs reefs that form along coastlines~ Barrier reefs grow parallel to shorelines, but further out; they form barriers~ Coral Atolls rings of coral that grow on top of old, sunken volcanoes in the ocean~ Hard Coral have hard limestone skeletons~Soft Coral do not build reefs

The Importance of Coral ReefsCoral reefs provide thousands of marine

species find food and shelter Coral reefs also form a breakwater for

adjacent coasts, providing protection from storm surges

Coral reefs are very important in controlling how much carbon dioxide is in the ocean waters

Coral reefs protect coasts from strong currents and waves by slowing down the water before it gets to the shore

The Global Warming EffectHigher sea temperatures from global

warming have caused major coral bleachingSea level rise caused by melting sea ice and

thermal expansion could cause problems for some reefs by making them too deep to receive adequate sunlight

Conservation MethodsReducing global warming pollution is

essential to minimize ocean temperatureManagers will need to improve their water

quality by reducing water pollution from ocean sources

Other management options could include local restrictions on ocean dredging and large boat traffic

Coal monitoring must be expanded to include ocean acidification, calcification rates, water temperatures, and coral bleaching rates

What we can doNever anchor on a reef

Volunteer with organizations working to clean up local waterways

Slow global warming by conserving energy

Resources for Informationhttp://

www.nwf.org/Global-Warming/Effects-on-Wildlife-and-Habitat/Coral-Reefs.aspx

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/coralreef/coralreef.shtml

http://www.seasky.org/reeflife/sea2.htmlhttp://

oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral4.htm