Coral Reef The Ocean Floor

A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef building corals reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate most coral reefs are built from stony corals whose polyps cluster in groups.

Coral reef the ocean floor.

Scientists estimate that more than one million species of plants and animals are associated with coral reef ecosystems. Coral reefs cover less than 1 percent of the ocean floor all the reefs combined would equal an area of about 110 000 square miles 285 000 square km only about the size of the state of nevada. Reef tanks are an attempt to recreate a wild coral reef and providing all the things that corals need to thrive. Some coral reefs are so large they are even visible from outer space.

Coral belongs to the class anthozoa in the animal phylum cnidaria which includes sea anemones and jellyfish unlike sea anemones corals secrete hard carbonate. 2012 costanza et al. At their base is a hard protective limestone skeleton called a calicle which forms the structure of coral reefs. C overing less than one percent of the ocean floor coral reefs support an estimated 25 percent of all known marine species.

2014 unfortunately reefs worldwide are threatened by an increasing array of impacts primarily from global climate change unsustainable fishing practices and land based. At the ocean floor we have everything that is needed to create the reef tank of your dreams. The national park service has ten parks with coral reefs. Corals in captivity are mostly housed in reef tanks.

Fish harvested from coral reefs feed tens of millions of people in developing countries and reef related fishing trade and tourism generates up to 30 billion annually accounting for more than 15 percent of the gdp of 23 nations. Coral reefs only take up about 1 of the ocean floor but host an estimated 25 of all ocean species. This abundance of creatures that are dependent on a specific structure has given coral the nickname the rainforest of the seas. Coral reefs are one of earth s most diverse ecosystems.

Despite covering less than 1 percent of the ocean floor coral reefs are home to 25 percent of all fish species. But coral reefs only occupy less than one tenth of one percent of the ocean floor. Coral reefs are amazing habitats. They provide significant ecological economic and societal benefits valued globally at about usd 9 8 trillion each year de groot et al.