CHAPTER 2.

3 CORAL REEFS A SUMMARY

REPORT
INTRODUCTION TO CORAL REEFS

Calcium carbonate structures made up of reef building stony corals

Only found in tropical seas, where temperature, salinity and lack of turbid water
are important
Occupy less than 0.25% of marine environment but shelter more than 25% of all
known marine life

THE DEVELOPMENT OF CORAL

Begins as polyps - which are tiny, soft animals that are attached to a hard
surface in shallow seas
Calcium carbonate is exuded forming their skeleton and reefs when they die
Small algae live inside them known as zooxanthellae (a symbiotic relationship).
o The algae get shelter and food while the polyp also gets some food via
photosynthesis
Hence sufficient light is needed for their growth (sea has to be shallow and clear)
Tropical reefs grow at rates ranging from less than 2.5 to 60 cm per year
The 2600km Great Barrier Reef is formed over 5 million years

DISTRIBUTION OF CORAL
Controlled by 7 main factors
1. Temperature 23-25C optimal conditions for growth, none below 20C
2. Depth of water mostly in depths of less than 25m, and usually on margins of
continents/islands
3. Light photosynthetic algae needs shallow water for light, in return provides 98%
of food needed
4. Salinity intolerant of water with salinity levels below 32 psu but can withstand
high salinity levels
5. Sediment negative effect as it reduces light and clogs up feeding structures
and cleansing systems
6. Wave action strong wave action provides oxygenated water and stronger
cleansing action
7. Exposure to air mostly found below low tide mark to prevent long air exposure
(coral may die)

TYPES OF CORAL
1. Fringing reefs
Fringe the coast of a landmass and characterised by an outer reef edge
capped by an algal ridge, broad reef flat and sand-floored boat channel close
to the shore
2. Barrier reefs
At greater distances and separated from shore by a wide deep lagoon e.g.
Great Barrier Reef
3. Atoll reefs

Rises from submerged volcanic foundations and support small islands of waveborne detritus. Similar to barrier reefs but confined to the flanks of submerged
oceanic islands.
4. Patch reef
Small circular or irregular reefs that rise from the sea floor of lagoons behind
barrier reefs or within atolls

ORIGIN OF CORALS

Origin of fringing reefs:

Seaward growth from land
Origin of barrier reefs and atolls:
A gradual process mainly due to subsidence according to Charles Darwin
supported by Dana and others (and considerable support in more recent
times)
Coral reefs can grow upwards from submerging foundations and so fringing
reefs can be succeeded by barrier reefs and then by atoll reefs
Coral growth is more vigorous on the outer side of the reef so it forms a higher
rim while the inner part forms an increasingly wide and deep lagoon, slowly
forming a lagoon
An alternative theory is from Sir John Murray who suggested is that the base of
the reef consisted of a submarine hill or plateau
As reefs grow breaking waves cause the coral fragments to accumulate on the
seaward side and to be cemented into a solid bank, forming an atoll
Another theory is of Daly who suggested that a rise in sea level might be
responsible as a rise did take place in the post-glacial times
This theory helps explain the narrow, steep-sided reefs that comprise of most
atolls

THE VALUE OF CORAL

Coral reefs are among the most biologically rich and diverse ecosystems, often
described as the rainforests of the sea since:
Both thrives under nutrient-poor conditions (ties up the living matter)
Both supports rich communities through efficient recycling process
Both contains high levels of species diversity
They are also a source of seafood as for instance they contribute about onequarter of the total fish catches in LECDs
The chemicals produced in many of these organisms for self-protection may be a
source of new medicines, possibly treating leukaemia, skin cancer and other
tumours etc.
Coral reefs can be used to yield a host of other economic goods such as corals
and shells for jewellery, corals for aquariums and sand and limestone for
construction industry
They also have recreational value such as for snorkellers, scuba divers and
recreational fishers
They offer coastal protection as they buffer adjacent shorelines from wave action
and storm

HUMAN IMPACT ON CORAL

Coral bleaching occurs when factors such as pollution, sedimentation, global

climate change and natural and anthropogenic (originating from human)
pressures threatens the polyps
Zooxanthellae lives within the coral animal tissue to provide energy for
themselves as well as the coral. However, when environmental conditions
become stressful, zooxanthellae may leave the coral in energy deficit and
without colour, also known as coral bleaching
The coral may recover if re-colonised within a certain time but if not they will
die
Stressful environment includes increasing in water temperature by 1-2C,
salinity changes, UV radiation, or pollution
1998 coral bleaching was an episode where an estimated 16% of the worlds area
of coral reefs was severely damaged, and according to the global assessment
2004 one-fifth of the worlds coral reefs are so damaged they are beyond repair.
This threatens organisms, communities and industries which heavily rely on coral
reefs
According to the Initiative in Climate Change and Coral Reefs, 2010, coral reefs
were likely the first ecosystem to show major damage due to climate change due
to increased sea surface temperature, increasing ocean acidification and tropical
storms

SUSTAINING CORAL

Current scientific thought is that coral reefs may become functionally extinct if
carbon dioxide levels rise to above 450 ppm and it could reduce the $100 billion
that coral provides to the economy
To preserve coral reefs, it is vital to reduce greenhouse gases emission
significantly, limit damaging human activities such as overfishing and
sedimentation, introduce local coastal management practices and to designate
more coral reefs as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to act as reservoirs of
biodiversity