5 Questions
What are coral made up of?
Tiny polyps with stinging tentacles
What do polyps secrete to create colonies?
Limestone skeletons
What percentage of all marine creatures live in coral reefs?
25%
What do coral reefs provide for young fish?
Rich habitat that helps protect them as they grow
What do coral get their rainbow of colors from?
Algae that live in their tissue
Study Notes
- Coral are animals made up of tiny polyps with stinging tentacles.
- Polyps secrete limestone skeletons, creating colonies that act as a single organism.
- Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth, home to 25% of all marine creatures.
- Reefs provide rich habitat that helps protect young fish as they grow.
- Coral get their rainbow of colors from algae that live in their tissue.
- When coral become stressed, they evict their algae, resulting in coral bleaching.
- Coral's limestone skeletons form layers that reveal past ocean conditions.
- Climate change is putting coral's future in danger, along with millions of species and half a billion people that rely on reef fish for food.
- Warming waters result in prolonged coral bleaching that kill coral reefs or leave them vulnerable to other threats.
- Without significant action on climate change, our oceans could lose many of their colorful reefs by the end of the century.
Explore the fascinating world of coral reefs, their importance as diverse ecosystems, the impact of climate change on coral bleaching, and the future challenges they face. Learn about the symbiotic relationship between corals and algae, the formation of limestone skeletons, and the threats posed by warming waters. Find out how climate change is endangering coral reefs and the millions of species that depend on them.
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