Where is it located in the
world?
The red shows where
the coral reef is
located on the world.
Animals that live in it:
Reef Fish: Of the several types of vertebrate animals
commonly found on coral reefs, fishes are the only
group normally present in great abundance and
diversity. Hundreds or even thousands of different
species may be found in some of the larger reef
ecosystems. They are abundant in all three major
reef zones, from the lagoon shoreline to the deepest
reaches of the fore reef.
http://www.coral-reef-info.com/coral-reefanimals.html
Sea Turtle:
Sea turtles Of the seven recognized species of sea turtles,
three are regular or occasional visitors to coral reefs in some
parts of the world.
On both Indo-Pacific and Caribbean reefs, the species most
often seen resting on the reef proper is the Hawksbill turtle
Eretmochelys imbricata, a species that also feeds in the
lagoon or back reef zone of coral reef ecosystems. Hawksbill
turtles have been heavily overexploited for their meat and
shells, and are listed by the IUCN as "critically endangered".
http://www.coral-reef-info.com/coral-reef-animals.html
Sea Snake
Sea snakes are found only in the Indo-Pacific region (excluding the
Red Sea). There are more than 60 recognized species, but of these
only a relative few are common residents of coral reef areas.
Sea snakes have evolved from terrestrial snakes, and like all reptiles
are air breathers. Adaptations for aquatic life include paddle-like
tails and laterally compressed bodies, both of which enhance
swimming ability.
Many sea snake species are highly venomous, and should never be
closely approached or threatened by coral reef divers or snorkelers.
http://www.coral-reef-info.com/coral-reef-animals.html
Plants
There are 3 main plants that grow in the coral
reefs they are Marine
Marine Algae
Marine Algae:
Within those parts of coral reef ecosystems where most hard coral growth is found (the reef face and reef
crest), plant life exists only in the form of marine algae.
Most of this algal growth exists in the form of tiny microalgae. Macroalgae is also present, but in terms of
biomass macroalgae is a relatively minor component of the plant life of healthy reefs.
The singular exception to this generality are the coralline algae, a specialized type of macroscopic red
algae that actually helps build coral reefs and is a generally present in considerable amounts. It is this
type of algae that often forms a prominent algal ridge on the perimeter reefs of oceanic atolls.
Marine algae forms a major link in coral reef food chains; many coral reef fishes and invertebrate animals
utilize algae as their primary food source.
http://www.coral-reef-info.com/coral-reef-plants.html
Sea Grass
Sea Grass:
Like mangroves, the distribution of sea grasses is restricted to the
protected waters of the lagoon, where they form a highly productive
(and often extensive) habitat-type that supports a broad diversity of
other forms of animal and plant life.
Sea grass meadows can form critical nursery grounds for reef
fishes, conch, spiny lobster and other commercially valuable.
http://www.coral-reef-info.com/coral-reef-plants.html
Mangroves
Mangroves:
Mangroves are shoreline plants, and thus are often (except on fringing reefs)
quite distant from the main biomass of hard corals that form the massive reef
crest and fore reef.
However, when present these plants have the capacity to considerably
enhance the abundance and diversity of reef fishes and other types of marine
life throughout the coral reef ecosystem.
A more thorough treatment of mangroves and seagrasses is provided on our
page on the "back reef zone", which discusses mangrove forests and
seagrass meadows as coral reef habitat types unto themselves.
http://www.coral-reef-info.com/coral-reef-plants.html
What is the Temperature
there?
The temperature in the coral reef is 68 to 82 F, or
20 to 28 C.
Medicine Habitat
Home to more than 1 million diverse aquatic
species, including thousands of fish species
Medicine:
Medicine: Potential treatments for many of the
world's most prevalent and dangerous illnesses
and diseases.
http://www.coral.org/resources/about_coral_reefs/why_care
How has science helped
to discover the resources
that we can use?
???????
Oil Spills
Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico in the year 2010.
It happened On April 20th 2010.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/30/louisi
ana-oil-spill-2010_n_558287.html
How has use of natural resources
affected the environment, economics
(money) or society
The affect on the environment, that oil spills ruin
the coral reefs because a healthy coral reefs
equals a healthy world.
The affect on the money side coral reefs can be
able to be bought and sold.
The affect on the society that fishes die and the
food web gets broken and the fishes harm the
coral reefs.
The END!
The End