Corals

Scleractinians

Corals are marine animals and exist as small sea-anemone-like polyps, typically in identical colonies. These animals secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton in which we know of them as reefs found in tropical oceans. Although corals can catch plankton using stinging cells on their tentacles, these animals obtain most of their nutrients from zooxanthellae. Most corals depend upon sunlight and grow in clean, shallow waters less than 200'. This type of coral contributes to the coral reefs that develop in the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Reefs are extra diverse marine ecosystems being host to over 4,000 species of fish, massive numbers of mollusks, crustaceans, and many other animals. Coral reefs play a very important role in the ecological marine balance. And because they do play a unique role of our planet, it is critical that people realize how their survival are being affected. Coral reefs are being

mined for lime and made into blocks for construction and road fillers. Because corals are so colorful, people destroy them for jewelry and

souvenirs. Hidden causes of damage to coral reefs are from global warming. As our ocean water temperature increases, corals become stressed causing damage, including bleaching. Coral bleaching occurs when zooxanthellae leaves the coral, leaving it in an energy deficit state without color. As little as 1-2 degrees Celsius temperature increase may cause bleaching and soon the coral dies. Over fishing and destructive fishing practices also affects the ecological balance of life among coral reef communities. Cyanide is a common fishing practice in Asia that creates a chemical cloud that poisons, not only fish for their markets, but also the live coral polyps. Blast fishing and bottom trawling, banging on the reefs with sticks,

are also common fishing practices that destroys coral formations where thousands of species inhabit. Other human pressures damaging coral reefs include:

· Pollution from oil, urban waste, sewage, gas, and agrochemicals from farming. These toxins reach the ocean by way of our river systems.

· Construction, mining, logging, and farming along coastal rivers cause erosion. Top soil is washed by rain and smothers the coral by

depriving them of light.

· Careless boating, divers touching and collecting coral, dropping anchors, and stirring up the ocean floor sediment.

Map of decreasing areas of Coral Reefs

Threatened

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Photo by Animal Sunshine