Coral Reefs

Facts about Coral Reefs

• Largest living thing on Earth• Covers less than 1% of the

Earth’s Surface• Needs sunlight to grow

Did You Know?

• Coral are animals• Plants live inside of

them• Two kinds– Soft corals– Hard corals

(These build reefs!)

• Made of tiny polyps

Types of Reefs

Coral Reefs- Underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals

• Grow close to shore• Shallow lagoon or

no lagoon at all• Encounter coastal

development and pollution because of being on the Island

Fringing Reefs

Barrier Reefs• Parallel to the shore • Separated by a wide

lagoon with deep portions

• Example: Great Barrier Reef

• Largest barrier reefs develop on edges of continental shelves

Atoll Reefs• Circular reef surrounding

a large, deep central lagoon

• Common in Indo-Pacific region

• 100 miles in diameter

Benefits to the Environment

• Used for food and medicine • Economic benefits (tourism, jobs and

food)- $375 billion a year

• Breeding grounds for marine animals (fish)

• Protects shores from waves and storms• Home & shelter to 25% of the fish in the

ocean

Major Threats to Coral Reefs

• Ocean Water Pollution- oil, pesticides, and sewage contaminate the oceans

• Global Warming- Increase in carbon dioxide leads to rise in ocean water temp

• Bleaching- Algae that lives with the coral are sensitive to temperature. – Leave coral behind when too warm – Color disappears– Coral becomes a white “dead looking coral”

Bleaching

Threats (Continued)

• Human Activities- Dropping of boat anchors- Lobster traps- Fishing line- Fishing nets

• We are in danger of losing 70% of the World’s Coral Reefs in the next 50 years.

What can WE do to save Coral Reefs?

• Reduce Pollution- Reduce, Reuse , and

Recycle, to eliminate negative impacts of pollution on health of oceans

• Walk, bike or ride the bus

• Conserve water: Less water we use, less wastewater that finds its way into oceans.