It was long believed that corals need warm, well-lit tropical waters to live but recently some white corals have been discovered in cold deep waters where there is also no light. Some of these temperate corals are 30 feet tall. They seem as abundant as the tropical corals but they have not been explored as much.
Tropical coral reefs are found around the Equator about 30° north and south. They are the best known among the corals. They need clear water, warmth and light and are found near the coast line.
Although the chief architects of the huge reefs are the stony corals, not all corals are hard. Some corals are known as soft corals and these don’t have the rigid outer skeleton we associate with hard corals.
There are different types of coral reefs — the Fringing reef, the Barrier reef and the Atoll. Fringing reefs are found off the shores of islands and coasts. A narrow stretch of water separates the Barrier reef from the shore. Probably the best known Barrier reef is The Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. It is 1,269 miles long and from 10 to 90 miles wide. An Atoll is an isolated ring of coral. It is formed when an underwater volcano erupts and the lava rises above the surface of the sea.
Thousands of plants, fishes and invertebrates such as sponges, sea cucumbers, sea squirts and clams live in the tropical coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef contains some 3000 species of animals.
The reef provides a home to some animals and a place to hide for others. It also serves as a dining table for predators such as sharks which come to forage on animals congregating in coral reefs.
There are, of course, animals that eat the reef itself. Some fish that are found in the open sea use the reef as a place to gather and breed. A few use the reef as a type of spa!
The Wrasse is a fish that gets its food while cleaning other sea creatures. Wrasses eat the parasites and debris on the bodies of other creatures.
Unfortunately, as a result of changing climate, increased pollution and other factors, the world’s coral reefs are now threatened habitats.
Tropical coral reefs are found around the Equator about 30° north and south. They are the best known among the corals. They need clear water, warmth and light and are found near the coast line.
Although the chief architects of the huge reefs are the stony corals, not all corals are hard. Some corals are known as soft corals and these don’t have the rigid outer skeleton we associate with hard corals.
There are different types of coral reefs — the Fringing reef, the Barrier reef and the Atoll. Fringing reefs are found off the shores of islands and coasts. A narrow stretch of water separates the Barrier reef from the shore. Probably the best known Barrier reef is The Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. It is 1,269 miles long and from 10 to 90 miles wide. An Atoll is an isolated ring of coral. It is formed when an underwater volcano erupts and the lava rises above the surface of the sea.
Thousands of plants, fishes and invertebrates such as sponges, sea cucumbers, sea squirts and clams live in the tropical coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef contains some 3000 species of animals.
The reef provides a home to some animals and a place to hide for others. It also serves as a dining table for predators such as sharks which come to forage on animals congregating in coral reefs.
There are, of course, animals that eat the reef itself. Some fish that are found in the open sea use the reef as a place to gather and breed. A few use the reef as a type of spa!
The Wrasse is a fish that gets its food while cleaning other sea creatures. Wrasses eat the parasites and debris on the bodies of other creatures.
Unfortunately, as a result of changing climate, increased pollution and other factors, the world’s coral reefs are now threatened habitats.