The Coral Ecosystem And How It Is Changing :: essays research papers

Coral reefs are one of records most magnificent creations, filled with thousands of unique and valuable plants and animals. more than than one quarter of all marine animals is dependent on precious red red coral reefs. Coral reefs are also a source of food and income for millions of mess too. The coral reef ecosystems benefit humans commercially, recreationally and environmentally. Because of the complex interconnections between coral reefs, mangrove forests, sea grass beds, and m each other different plants and animals, coral is very susceptible to destruction. One small change in any of these things rat affect mass quantities of coral. That is why it is important to tutor citizenry ab discover coral and how complex of a species they really are. That is the purpose of this report, to educate you and make you aware of that complexity. Coral is often mistakenly identified as a rock, but in all actuality, it is an animal. The actual coral is unruffled of small animals called coral polyps. Most polyps are very small, although rare species heap grow quite large. One coral branch or pile is composed of thousands of polyps. These thousands of polyps are called a coral dependence. Polyps are nocturnal and hitch inside their skeletons during the day. However, at night they can be seen when they stick their tentacles out to feed. Corals re put out in many different ways. Some species are hermaphrodites, and produce both sperm and testiss, and some are single sexed organisms. They can reproduce both sexually or asexually. In most species, the egg and sperm are released into the water and random fertilization occurs. This is called coral spawning. The larva is attracted to the combust and swims to the surface of the water where it remains for weeks. If the larva can survive without being eaten by predators, it entrust sink back to the bottom of the ocean floor. Hear it will attach itself to a hard substrate and will grow into a coral polyp. At this point , the coral polyp begins to reproduce asexually. As new-fashioned polyps are built and added a colony develops. Eventually the coral colony matures and begins to reproduce sexually again, adding to the ever-continual cycle of life. One of the most amazing aspects of coral reproduction is that of mass coral spawning. In many parts of the world, on the same night of the year, every coral will spawn at the same time.