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    Coral Reefs

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    rorlando lewis
    Coral reefs are formed by tiny coral polyps that secrete calcium carbonate to build hard underwater structures. They require optimal water temperatures between 23-25 degrees Celsius, sunlight, salinity levels, and clear water to thrive. The three main types of reefs are fringing reefs near coastlines, barrier reefs further offshore, and coral atolls which are ring-shaped reefs surrounding a central lagoon. Coral reefs are under threat from pollution, rising water temperatures due to climate change, and other human impacts.

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    Coral Reefs

    Uploaded by

    rorlando lewis
    28 views20 pages
    Coral reefs are formed by tiny coral polyps that secrete calcium carbonate to build hard underwater structures. They require optimal water temperatures between 23-25 degrees Celsius, sunlight, salinity levels, and clear water to thrive. The three main types of reefs are fringing reefs near coastlines, barrier reefs further offshore, and coral atolls which are ring-shaped reefs surrounding a central lagoon. Coral reefs are under threat from pollution, rising water temperatures due to climate change, and other human impacts.

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    Coral reefs are formed by tiny coral polyps that secrete calcium carbonate to build hard underwater structures. They require optimal water temperatures between 23-25 degrees Celsius, sunlight, salinity levels, and clear water to thrive. The three main types of reefs are fringing reefs near coastlines, barrier reefs further offshore, and coral atolls which are ring-shaped reefs surrounding a central lagoon. Coral reefs are under threat from pollution, rising water temperatures due to climate change, and other human impacts.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    28 views20 pages

    Coral Reefs

    Uploaded by

    rorlando lewis
    Coral reefs are formed by tiny coral polyps that secrete calcium carbonate to build hard underwater structures. They require optimal water temperatures between 23-25 degrees Celsius, sunlight, salinity levels, and clear water to thrive. The three main types of reefs are fringing reefs near coastlines, barrier reefs further offshore, and coral atolls which are ring-shaped reefs surrounding a central lagoon. Coral reefs are under threat from pollution, rising water temperatures due to climate change, and other human impacts.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 20

    Coral Reefs

    D. David
    Objectives
    Students should be able to:
    – Describe the formation of coral reefs
    – Outline the conditions necessary for the formation
    of reefs
    – Identify and describe each of the 3 types of reefs
    – Discuss the main threats to coral reefs
    Coral Reefs Defined

    • A coral reef is a hard rocky offshore ridge built


    up from the sea bed by coral polyps.
    • This marine ecosystem is rich in biodiversity
    and is often referred to at the rainforest of the
    sea.
    The Importance of Coral Reefs
    • The provide a habitat for marine life. In fact more than
    25% of all known species are found in reefs.
    • Supports other industries e.g. fishing industry and tourism.
    • They protect the coasts and beaches from erosion by
    acting as buffer zones.
    • Much of the sand on Caribbean beaches are derived from
    corals.
    Formation of Coral reefs
    • Coral Polyps are the tiny soft
    bodied organism that is
    responsible for the construction
    of reefs. At their base is a hard,
    protective limestone skeleton
    called a calicle, which forms the
    structure of coral reefs. There
    are millions of species of coral
    polyps.
    Formation of Coral Reefs
    • Reefs begin when a polyp attaches itself to a
    rock on the sea floor, then divides, or buds,
    into thousands of clones. The polyp calicles
    connect to one another, creating a colony that
    acts as a single organism. As colonies grow
    over hundreds and thousands of years, they
    join with other colonies and become reefs.
    Some of the coral reefs on the planet today
    began growing over 50 million years ago.
    The Structure of Coral Polyps
    Click the links below to view a video on coral
    reefs

    • https://youtu.be/ZiULxLLP32s

    • https://youtu.be/tZuxZdG6TfM
    Conditions necessary for the formation of
    reefs

    1. The temperature of the water should be between 21


    and 30 degrees Celsius. N.B. The optimum temperature
    is between 23-25 degrees Celsius.
    2. Sunlight must be able to penetrate to where the coral is
    growing.
    3. The water must have the right amount of salinity.
    4. The water must be unpolluted, clear and well aerated
    Types of Coral
    • There are four types of coral reefs recognized
    by the scientific community. They are:
    1. Coral atolls
    2. Fringing reefs
    3. Barrier reefs
    4. Patch reefs
    However, the CSEC syllabus requires knowledge of
    only the first 3.
    Coral Atolls
    Atolls are isolated ring shaped reefs with low
    lying coral islands. At its centre is a lagoon and
    surrounding the reef is the open sea.
    Most of the world’s coral atolls are found in
    the Pacific and Indian oceans.

    Atolls usually form when islands


    surrounded by fringing reefs sink
    into the sea or the sea level rises
    around them.
    Fringing Reefs
    • Fringing reefs grow near the coastline around islands and continents. They
    are separated from the shore by narrow, shallow lagoons. Fringing reefs
    are the most common type of reef.
    Formation of Fringing Reefs

    • Fringing reefs from close to the shore from the


    gradual accumulation of coral. Between the
    shore and coral is a shallow lagoon that is rich
    in marine life.
    Barrier Reefs

    • Barrier reefs are much larger than fringing


    reefs and they are found in deep water.
    Formation of Barrier Reefs
    • Barrier reefs are thought to develop where a fringing reef is
    formed next to a low-lying coastal plain.

    • A relative rise in sea level over thousands of years floods the


    coastal low land, creating a much wider body of water.

    • As the coral continues to grow, a large barrier reef is created


    that is now separated from the coast by many kilometers.
    Threats to Coral Reefs
    What do you recall?
    • What are coral reefs?
    • Describe the conditions necessary for the
    formation of coral reefs.
    • Name the THREE main types of coral reefs.
    • Describe the formation of ONE of the named
    coral reefs.
    • Discuss any TWO threats facing coral reefs.
    The End.

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