Coral Reefs

[oceanwaves]

The coral reefs are a diverse habitat located in the neritic zone. Coral reefs are made by a group of coral animals. These coral animals are as small as pencil erasers. The insides of these animals are soft. They coat themselves with a hard surface that remains after they die. More coral animals grow on the dead coral. After a few years a coral reef is made.



The coral feeds on microscopic algae that lives in the bodies of coral reefs. In order for the coral to eat algae they have to live close to sunlight and the temperature has to be nice and warm. This is why coral reefs are only located in shallow, tropical waters. The reefs are mainly found near volcanic islands and continental shelves. Coral reefs live were the pressure is very low.



When reefs are located on sinking beaches an atoll can happen. An atoll is a reef that is shaped like a ring surrounding a shallow lagoon. The reef begins as a fringing reef and continues to grow upward as the beach continues to sink. Water is separated from the top of the reef. The island continuously sink. This creates a atoll.



Many fish live around coral reefs. A main species of fish is the parrotfish. The parrotfish scrapes of coral from the reef. The fish eats the inside of the coral and chews, grinds and spits out the outer side skin. This grounded up coral makes the sand that is located on these coral reef beaches.

This video explains more about the coral reef ecosystem.



This video explains the behavior and places where coral lives



This video explain the danger of the exticntion of coral.