2024年12月24日 · Coral reef, ridge or hummock formed in shallow ocean areas by algae and the calcareous skeletons of coral polyps and other coelenterates. A coral reef may grow into a permanent coral island. Often called ‘rainforests of the sea,’ coral reefs are home to a spectacular variety of organisms.

2019年2月1日 · Benefits of coral reef ecosystems. Coral reefs protect coastlines from storms and erosion, provide jobs for local communities, and offer opportunities for recreation. They are also are a source of food and new medicines. Over half a billion people depend on reefs for food, income, and protection. Fishing, diving, and snorkeling on and near ...

2024年2月28日 · Coral reefs provide habitat for a large variety of marine life, including various sponges, oysters, clams, crabs, sea stars, sea urchins, and many species of fish. Coral reefs are also linked ecologically to nearby seagrass, mangrove, and mudflat communities.

A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. [1] Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Coral belongs to the class Anthozoa in the animal phylum Cnidaria, which includes sea anemones and ...

Reefs form when corals grow in shallow water close to the shore of continents or smaller islands. The majority of coral reefs are called fringe reefs because they fringe the coastline of a nearby landmass. But when a coral reef grows around a volcanic island something interesting occurs.

2025年1月16日 · As the corals grow and expand, reefs take on one of three major characteristic structures—fringing, barrier or atoll.Fringing reefs, which are the most common, project seaward directly from the shore, forming borders along the shoreline and surrounding islands.

Coral reef biome is a vast community of plants and animals that live inside and around the coral. While coral reef is an animal, it is symbiotic in nature, as microscopic plants thrive inside the coral and they exchange nutrients. Coral reefs are home to a diversity of plant and animals species.

Major coral reef sites are seen as red dots on this world map. Most of the reefs, with a few exceptions are found in tropical and semitropical waters, between 30° north and 30° south latitudes. Coral communities can be found in shallow or deep waters.

2024年12月1日 · Coral reefs are among the most remarkable ecosystems on Earth. Known for their vibrant beauty and biological diversity, they are often referred to as the "rainforests of the sea." For geography students, coral reefs offer an excellent opportunity to study biogeography, physical processes, and human-environment interactions.

2024年10月2日 · Coral colonies expand in size through the budding of polyps, often resulting in extensive masses known as coral reefs. According to T. Wayland Vaughan (1917), a coral reef is defined as a ridge or mound of limestone, primarily composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) secreted by coral polyps.