Reef Awareness

Coral reefs are made of hundreds of different species of coral. Coral is generally classified as either "hard" coral (reef building coral) or "soft" coral.

Although people often mistake coral for a rock or plant, coral is actually a colony of tiny animals called coral polyps. Thousands of these polyps can live as neighbors on one coral branch or mound. Polyps grouped together in large numbers are referred to as coral colonies. Each coral "tree" or "mound" is one colony of coral polyps. When someone refers to coral, they are referring to these branches or mounds.

Polyps are invertebrates, spineless animals, which makes them cousins of anemones and jellyfish. Some polyps are as small as a pinhead and other polyps are much larger, sometimes over a foot in diameter, and can live individually on the sea floor.

A polyp has a sack-like body with one opening, or mouth, encircled by stinging tentacles. Polyps of hard coral species, called hermatypic species, make calcium carbonate from surrounding seawater to build a cup-shaped skeleton of limestone. This hard structure protects the delicate body of the polyp from predators and under water currents.

During the day, the polyp keeps its tentacles folded inside of its skeleton, but at night it extends them out to feed. Coral polyps eat tiny floating animals known as plankton, which they catch in their tentacles. They also house tiny algae, called zooxanthellae (pronounced zo-zan-THEL-ee), which provide the coral polyps with food and oxygen.

Soft corals are ahermatypic, or non-reef building. These corals do not have stony skeletons, but instead grow in colonies with a wood-like core for support and a fleshy rind to protect the polyps. Many soft coral colonies look like underwater branches or ferns attached to a rock by a single holdfast, with branches swaying in the wind. Although soft corals do not help to build the rocky structure of the reef, they play an important role in reef ecosystems as hiding places for fish and filters for organic material. In addition, many species of soft coral, such as sea fans, form delicate and intricate shapes whose beauty attracts the admiration of divers everywhere!

Zooxanthellae, are microscopic, single-celled algae that live and grow within the tissue of hard coral polyps. Several million zooxanthellae live in just one square inch of coral. Coral polyps and their skeletons are actually clear or white and it is pigment in the zooxanthellae that gives coral more than 90% of its colorful hues.

Zooxanthellae and coral have a symbiotic relationship. The two organisms live together and depend upon each other for survival, making them "biological partners". The algae provide the polyp with food and process the polyp's wastes to retain important nutrients. Zooxanthellae also help to produce calcium carbonate for the polyp’s skeleton. In return, coral polyps build a safe and protected home for the algae.

Up to 98% of a hard coral's nutritional needs can be met by the surplus food produced by zooxanthellae. The tiny algae use energy from sunlight to make food through photosynthesis, converting carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbohydrates. This process requires a lot of sunlight, which is why coral colonies must live in clear, shallow water. Hard corals are extremely reliant on their zooxanthellae and cannot survive long without them.

One intriguing example of symbiosis on the reef is between large fish and certain shrimps or small fish called "cleaners." Cleaners feed on the parasites and damaged tissues on the skin of larger fish. The cleaner benefits from the food obtained and the host rids itself of annoying parasites. Certain areas of the reef function as "cleaning stations." Big fish can often be seen in these places, lining up to be cleaned.

Orange spotted Gobies and snapping shrimp also have a fascinating symbiotic relationship. These Gobies are small fish that hunt by squatting at the mouth of snapping shrimp burrows and occasionally moving forward to catch passing prey. When danger approaches, however, the goby quickly swims down into the shrimp’s protective burrow, which warns the nearly blind shrimp to do the same.

Coral reproduction varies by species. For instance, brain coral and star coral polyps produce both sperm and eggs at the same time. Other species, such as Elkhorn and boulder coral, produce single-sexed colonies. All of the polyps in one of these colonies produce only sperm and all of the polyps in another colony produce only eggs, so at least two colonies of a species are needed for reproduction.

Coral larvae are formed in one of two ways. For some species, fertilization occurs within the body of a polyp. Sperm is released into the water by one polyp and then swims into the mouth of another polyp that has produced eggs. The sperm and egg combine together and produce a planula larva. When the larva has matured, it is "spit out" into the water through the mouth of the coral polyp. Other species of coral reproduce by ejecting large quantities of eggs and sperm into the surrounding water in a process called coral spawning. In some areas, mass coral spawning events occur on one night a year. In certain regions, spawning cycles are so regular that scientists can predict when this magical night will occur. During spawning, trillions of eggs and sperm are simultaneously released into the water in one of the most astonishing acts of synchronicity in the natural world!

Once in the sea, larvae are attracted to light. They swim to the surface of the ocean, where they remain for several days or even weeks. If predators do not eat a larva during this time, it eventually falls back to the ocean floor. Here, it attaches itself to a hard surface and develops into a polyp. The recently established polyp then divides many times, making exact genetic copies of itself, which remain fused together. As more and more polyps are added, a coral colony develops. Eventually, the coral colony becomes mature and reproduces sexually as the cycle of life continues!

Tropical coral reefs grow in warm seas, in temperatures between 70° and 85°F (20° and 30°C). Soft corals sometimes grow in temperatures higher or lower than this range, but the growth rates of such colonies are much slower. Most coral grows between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, with the majority in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Arabian Gulf, South Pacific, and Southeast Asia. Coral colonies are also found in places where warm water currents flow out of the tropics, such as Florida and southern Japan. Worldwide, coral reefs are found in over 100 countries and cover an estimated 98,500 square miles (255,000 square kilometers).

Corals grow best in clear, shallow waters, where sunlight filters through in large quantities. Some species can survive at depths of up to 300 feet (91 meters), but most reef-building corals do not grow well below 60 to 90 feet (18 to 27 meters). Salty water is another thing that coral colonies need. Fresh water can kill corals, so reefs are not found near river openings or in coastal areas with excessive run-off. Silt and pollution in the run-off can also harm or kill corals.

The shapes and sizes of coral colonies depend on their species and on the location of the coral. For example, where there are strong waves, coral colonies tend to grow in robust mounds or flattened shapes. In more sheltered areas, the same species may grow in more intricate patterns of delicate branches. The availability of light and nutrients also plays a major role in determining what shape coral colonies will assume.

The geological record indicates that the ancestors of modern coral reef ecosystems were formed at least 350 million years ago. The coral reefs existing today began growing as early as 50 million years ago. Most established coral reefs are between 5,000 and 10,000 years old. Although size can be a good indicator of the age of a coral reef, it is not a certain indicator. Different species of coral grow at different rates, depending on the water temperature, oxygen level, amount of turbulence, and availability of food around them. Most massive boulder corals are the slowest growing species, adding only between 1/4 to 7/8 inch (5 to 25 millimeters) per year to their length. Branching and Staghorn corals may grow much faster, adding as much as 8 inches (20 centimeters) to their branches each year.

Consider these statistics:

• Approximately 11% of the world's coral reefs have already been destroyed by human activity and a further 16% have been severely damaged during the massive climate-related coral bleaching event in 1998.
• Reefs in 93 countries have been damaged in the past four decades.
• At the current rate of loss, 40% of the world's coral will be destroyed by 2010, and another 20% by 2030.
• Several coral reefs in Florida and the Caribbean are in "critical condition" – in other words, they are likely to be destroyed if current trends continue.
• The most severe damage to coral has occurred in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean (22%-59% of coral cover lost)

In the last few decades, humans have destroyed over 35 million acres of coral reefs. If the present rate of destruction continues, 40% of the world's coral reefs will be killed in the next 10 years. The loss of healthy coral reefs could mean the elimination of a primary source of food, income and employment for millions of people around the world, as well as the extinction of many fascinating and beautiful marine species.

Coral reefs have always faced damage from natural causes such as cyclones, pest outbreaks, and disease. Coral is also constantly being broken by fish and other forms of marine life. Under normal conditions, reefs are resilient to such damage and recover over time. Additional human pressures, however, are weakening the reefs, reducing their ability to regenerate and recover from natural damage.

Humans continue to destroy Coral Reefs through:

• Sewage, Chemical Pollution and Marine Debris
• Sedimentation
• Coastal Development
• Destructive Fishing Practices
• Coral Mining
• Tourism
• Global Warming and Coral Bleaching
• Carbon Dioxide
• Ozone Depletion

Reefs are wrecked when Humans treat them irresponsibly.