Coral Reefs. Facts about Coral Reefs Largest living thing on Earth Covers less than 1% of the...
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Transcript of Coral Reefs. Facts about Coral Reefs Largest living thing on Earth Covers less than 1% of the...
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.