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By Olivia Taylor

By Olivia Taylor. Geographic LOcation. Coral Reefs are found in tropical regions around the equator . They tend to be clustered towards the eastern ends of each ocean basin. They are located in warm ocean waters. FOOD Chain. Producers Seaweed. Primary Consumers Sea Urchin.

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By Olivia Taylor

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  1. By Olivia Taylor

  2. Geographic LOcation • Coral Reefs are found in tropical regions around the equator • They tend to be clustered towards the eastern ends of each ocean basin • They are located in warm ocean waters

  3. FOOD Chain Producers Seaweed Primary Consumers Sea Urchin Secondary Consumers Butterfly Fish Tertiary Consumers Barracuda

  4. Description Coral Reefs are large wave resistant structures that have accumulated from the slow growth of corals. The development of these structures is aided by algae that are symbiotic with reef-building corals, known as zooxanthellae. Coralline algae, sponges, and other organisms, combined with a number of cementation processes also contribute to reef growth.

  5. Description Coral reefs are found almost exclusively in the seas and oceans between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. In this region, water temperatures are warm and stable year-round (64 - 86 degrees Fahrenheit, 18-30 degrees Celsius), and longer days bathe the waters with sunlight.

  6. Description The reef is topographically complex. Much like a rain forest, it has many strata and areas of strong shade, cast by the overtowering coral colonies. Because of the complexity, thousands of species of fish and invertebrates live in association with reefs, which are by far our richest marine habitats. It is not unusual for a reef to have several hundred species of snails, sixty species of corals, and several hundred species of fish. Of all ocean habitats, reefs seem to have the greatest development of complex symbiotic associations.

  7. How Are They Used By Humans? Coral reef ecosystems support a variety of human needs. They are important for subsistence, fisheries, tourism, shoreline protection, and yield compounds that are important in the development of new medicines. They have been used in the treatment of cancer, HIV, cardiovascular diseases, ulcers, and other ailments.

  8. Threats to the Ecosystem Human activities such as trampling, destructive fishing techniques (e.g., poison, dynamite), and anchoring can physically destroy or kill the coral, resulting in reef death. Upland activities such as deforestation and fertilizer use can smother and kill downstream corals. Estimates are that 20% of the world’s coral reefs have been effectively destroyed in the last few decades and an additional 20% or more are severely degraded, particularly in the Caribbean Sea and Southeast Asia.

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