Coral Reef Paper

Coral Reef Health

Coral Reefs are colonies of various types of reef composed stony hard corals. Each coral is composed of tiny animals, polyps, they create a home for algae. Each polyp secretes slowly a hard calcium carbonate skeleton, which plays the role of a bass of the colony. Calcium is continuously deposited by corals in the living colony, adding to the size and structure of the reef. The coral reef ecosystem is an intricate and diverse collection of species that interact with each other. The reefs are home to many species such as crabs, shrimp, oysters, and clams. They support 33% of marine fish species. Reefs like to build where the water is clear, warm, and shallow. Mostly tropical waters near the equator and in the eastern sides of the continents and around oceanic islands.

Coral Reefs are important because they provide a source of food and shelter for a large variety of species including fish, shellfish, fungi, sponges, sea anemones, sea urchins, sea snakes, sea stars, worms, jelly fish, turtles, and water snails. Reefs protect coastlines from ocean storms and floods. They are environmental indicators of water quality because they can only tolerate narrow ranges of temperature, salinity, water clarity, and other water conditions. Reefs are an important contributions to local economies because they attract millions of tourists every year to enjoy beaches, water sports, and other outdoor activities. They are also an important source of new medicines that can be used to treat diseases and other health problems that are active today.

According to CRTF, 70% of the world’s reefs have been threatened or destroyed by a variety of stressors, including shoreline development, polluted runoff from agriculture, physical damage, over harvesting of fish, destructive fishing, and diseases. Humans damage coral reefs by boats and recreational contact, sediments from runoff, industry agriculture, sewage, and cleaning in the watershed. Coral bleaching slows growth and reproduction of the corals. Most of the problems affecting the coral reef are caused by humans.

To protect our coral reefs around the world isn’t complicated. One way to solve the problems is to not touch the corals if you are snorkeling or scuba diving. Use installed buoys instead of anchors. Do not use chemically enhanced fertilizers or pesticides. Volunteer for coral clean up or support organizations that protect coral reefs. Also simple things like recycling and conserving water help save the coral reefs and help clean up our environment. Recycling helps keep waste out of our water and saves the wildlife from eating and choking on our trash.

Coral Reef health connects to ecology because without the coral reefs in our ecosystem lots of water species would not have a shelter or food, which could lead to some of those species going extinct.