Coral Reefs

Map of Coral Reefs Around the Earth

Abiotic Factors

Abiotic factors like sunlight, water and Salinity:

The Salinity allows the different types of fish that can inhabit the coral reef and the sunlight shining on the water of the coral reef warms the water and the water also brings different organisms like fish, whales and dugongs.

Plants

Seagrass

• Sea grass has many adaptations:• They have sheaths a protective covering

and that is fit to live in high - energy environments.

• And another one is hydrophilous pollination the plants that grow in or near water and they would release pollen into the sea pollinating other hydrophilous like them.

Some Animals

1. The lion fish 2. The butterfly fish

The Lionfish

Lionfish: A venomous fish that has huge pectoral fins that looks like wings. The lion fish has and can quickly adapt to any new food and it has a venomous dorsal, vental and spines to prevent away sharks and injure humans. The lion fish eats a lot of fish and different type of invertebrates like lobster and worms and the lion fish also has a great advantage in stalking prey using it’s camouflage and when it gets near enough it swallows it’s prey whole.

Butterfly Fish

• Butterfly fish: the younger Butter fly fish mark territories to make sure that the other elder butter fly fish doesn’t coming in their area so that the younger one can grow. The butterfly fish has eye bands located away from the real eyes that confuse predators into thinking that those are the real eyes and that they would attack from behind the eye band but they would be spotted because the real eyes of the butter fly fish facing the other way.

The Destruction of Coral Reefs by Human Activities

• Divers a lot form the Philippines go fishing and hunting in the reefs but it would be okay if they were tender and gentle to the coral reefs and don’t take a lot of fishes but instead they use dynamites and blew up parts of Coral reefs and they would catch all the fish stunned by the explosion swimming around to sell it to fancy restaurants or pet shops

• Another Human activity is Poison being poured onto Coral reefs for fishing. Divers would pour Cyanide poison on reefs and stun fish and they would break open the reefs and get all the fish stunned and sick and that are not able to swim around fast. The poison also kills the Coral and the coral breaking does too.

Bibliography: Pictureshttp://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/6/aafeature

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/ocean/Coralreef.shtml

http://www.treehugger.com/dying-coral-frozen.jpg

http://notexactlyrocketscience.files.wordpress.com/2006/10/nwhi_-_french_frigate_shoals_reef_-_many_fish.jpg

http://www.richard-seaman.com/Wallpaper/Nature/Underwater/Horrors/JuvenileLionfish.jpg

http://7art-screensavers.com/screenshots/fish/butterfly-fish.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/images/2006/08/04/sea_grass_steve_trewhel_300x450.jpg

http://www.sms.si.edu/IRLspec/images/SeaGrass1.jpg

Bibliography: Information• "Coral reef destruction and conservation." Ocean world. This site is developed and

maintained by the Jason Education Project at, n.d. Web. 15 Mar 2010. < http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral5.htm >.

The human effects on the oral reefs

• Lastvolitans, FiPteroisrst. "lionfish ." new england aquarium . Copyright New England Aquarium 2010 , n.d. Web. 15 Mar 2010. http://www.neaq.org/animals_and_exhibits/animals/lionfish/index.php .

Facts about adaptations of lion fish

• "A lionfish crisis." marmam. Copyright © 2009 marmam.org. Powered by Marine Mammmal theme in a WordPress blog designed by Blankfield.Net., 5 december 2009. Web. 15 Mar 2010. http://marmam.org/2009/12/a-lionfish-crisis/ .

Facts about adaptations to lion fish

•.

• Duarte, Carlos (Lead Author); Jean-Pierre Gattuso (Topic Editor). 2008. "Seagrass meadows." In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth December 11, 2006; Last revised September 21, 2008; Retrieved March 17, 2010]. <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Seagrass_meadows>

The adaptations of sea grass.

• Butterflyfish ." fishid. © 1999 New World Publications. All rights reserved., n.d. Web. 14 Mar 2010. http://www.fishid.com/learnctr/bflyfish.htm .

• Salzman, Brent. "Abiotic & Biotic Characteristics of Reefs." ehow. Copyright © 1999-2010 eHow, Inc. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use † and Privacy Policy †. en-US , n.d. Web. 17 Mar 2010.

• Facts of butterfly fish and their adaptations.