The Magnificence of Coral Reefs
By Amita Vadlamudi
Coral reefs are giant skeletal structures of ancient animals which had once been related to animals like jellyfish and anemones. One coral is called a polyp, which is a tiny and simple organism that predominantly consists of a stomach and a tentacle-bearing mouth. The polyps are known to extend out their tentacles when they sense their prey planktons and other such small creatures nearby; they first sting and then consume these small creatures. However, a lot of corals have algae called zooxanthellae. It is these algae that produce food for the polyp through photosynthesis. The polyps in return reward the algae by providing them host and carbon dioxide to stay alive. Hundreds of polyps together form the coral reefs. These species that form the coral reefs are hard corals since they draw out calcium carbonate from the water in order to form a hard and durable surface that would protect their soft, otherwise vulnerable, bodies. This way many polyps group together to form these hard exterior exoskeletons. It is these exoskeletons that form together to make coral reefs. Corals are found in the world’s oceans and prevail in both shallow and deep waters. It is only the shallow tropical and subtropical waters that consist of the process of reef-building. They need to be in the water with temperatures of 70 – 85 degrees Fahrenheit (22 -29 degrees Celsius), since the algae that are present in polyp’s tissues need light to perform photosynthesis.
However, there are deep-sea corals that prevail only in the cold and dark areas of the sea and they can be found at the depths of even up to 20,000 feet (6000 m). The deep sea would consist of both stony and soft coral. This is because they do not have the same algae as the corals of the subtropical waters, and so do not need the same amount of sunlight for photosynthesis. This, however, also means that they grow at a glacial pace. There are several different species of coral. They have dissimilar shapes and shades. They can be found as round, folded, brain corals that would look like a human brain, or as tall, elegant sea fans, and whips that look very much like lush trees and plants. The tropical coral reefs are very productive as ecosystems. They not only make contributions to support the biodiversity but they also prove themselves to be of immeasurable value to mankind. Fisheries: The coral reefs are very important to the fisheries around the world. They form homes for the many fishes of the ocean, making them easily accessible to the fishermen. The corals help generate food and revenue. Tourism: Due to their beauty and intriguing nature, the reefs have known to attract many tourists. If they are managed well, the reefs can provide a source of income to poor communities that live nearby these reefs. Coastal protection: The coral reefs have the power to break the intensity of the storms thereby preventing hurricanes, typhoons, and tsunamis. Though coral reefs are known to provide several benefits, they are becoming extremely endangered. It is good to help these
reefs survive and reproduce so they can beautify the environment and provide other benefits to mankind.
About the Author: Amita Vadlamudi is the author of many online articles, some of which can be found on the following Web sites. https://amitavadlamudi.weebly.com/ https://amitavadlamudi.wixsite.com/mysite Amita Vadlamudi’s professional resume can be found on her About.me and Resumonk pages. Some of Ms. Vadlamudi’s favorite images are at http://www.alternion.com/users/AmitaVadlamudi