Animals & Vegetation on The Coral Reef
Oceans cover approximately 70 percent of the earth's surface, making marine ecosystems vital to the health of the planet. Coral reefs represent areas of great concentrations of marine life and nutrients. Water conditions determine the location of coral reefs. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, ocean temperatures must be over 64 degrees Fahrenheit in order to provide the necessary habitat for reef-building coral.
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Function
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The formation of coral reefs requires shallow water through which sunlight can penetrate. Their existence illustrates how its animals and vegetation create their own environment. Coral reefs are formed by carbonate-secreting organisms such as coral. Coralline red algae also contribute to their formation. Carbonate is the chemical basis for the reefs. The interactions between the organisms and their environment illustrate the complexity of this ecosystem.
Types
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There are three basic types of coral reefs, with variations among each. All reefs require that there be some type of foundation on which to develop. Fringing reefs grow out from rocky shores of islands. Barrier reefs form along the shorelines of continents, providing food and habitat for a variety of marine life. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the 1,616-mile Great Barrier Reef of northern Australia includes over 350 species of coral and over 30 marine mammal species. Finally, the third type of coral reef is atolls. An atoll is essentially an island of coral.
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Significance
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According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), coral reef ecosystems provide habitat and food for more than one-quarter of all known fish species. More than 5,000 species of mollusks depend upon these ecosystems. In addition, the Great Barrier Reef system includes more than 500 species of algae and one-quarter of the known species of sea grass.
Threats
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Coral reef ecosystems face several severe environmental threats. There are immediate pressures from sediment deposition onto the reefs, especially fringing and barrier reefs. Sediment can cloud the shallow ocean waters, disrupting photosynthesis in algae and other plants associated with coral reefs. It can also impact the coral, which are partially photosynthetic. In order for these organisms to make food, they need sunlight. Climate change has also impacted corals through a process called coral bleaching. Warm ocean waters cause explosions of algae growth, resulting in a loss of coral reef.
Prevention/Solution
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The Great Barrier Reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority of Australia. The agency identified areas of concern and has implemented plans for protection. However, two-thirds of the world's coral reefs are unprotected. Ironically, the diversity of the reefs creates its own problem. The abundance and concentration of fish populations attracts commercial fishing, often resulting in the taking of non-targeted species. Fishing restrictions in sensitive areas are needed to protect the reefs. To mitigate the effects of coral bleaching, reductions in fossil fuel emissions are vital to prevent ocean temperatures from rising any further.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit coral reef image by Christian Schoettler from Fotolia.com
