Whether it be to scuba dive with schools of fish or to enjoy a vacation on the sandy beaches, the coral reef attracts millions of people a year. Unfortunately, this high tourist population is straining the coral reef and is a threat to what the coral reef provides. But what exactly is the importance of the thousands of miles of “hard coral” that makes up this ecosystem?
Most people assume corals are just colorful plants, but really they are invertebrate animals of the Cnidaria group; who have a stomach, a mouth, and stinging tentacles. A single polyp, or coral, miraculously grows copies of itself through a process called budding, a form of asexual reproduction. Because of this, biodiversity is rampant in the largest living structure on Earth, the coral reef: supporting more than 800 “hard coral” species, and 7,000 species of fish, marine mammals, sea turtles, birds, and plants. A quarter of the planet’s fish rely on the reef for food and shelter within the colonies of polyps.
Coral is a part of the symbiotic relationship known as mutualism with the algae zooxanthellae, who provide carbohydrates and oxygen to the coral, and in return receive a safe environment and the specific compounds it needs for photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae, as the primary food provider, is responsible for the coral's health and vibrant color that attracts people from around the world. Within this relationship, coral bleaching occurs when a polyp is forced to reject the algae due to environmental stress such as climate change and pollution, and subsequently becomes starved, turning opaque white. They then unfortunately become more susceptible to diseases and death.
These extremely unique carbonate structures protect coastlines and hundreds of other organisms from storms and water erosion, are a source of food, and have the opportunity to advance medicine. Nearly “half a billion people depend on reefs for food, income, and protection”(NOAA). This ecosystem is vital to the Earth’s prosperity but is becoming increasingly threatened by human pollution, unethical fishing practices, and global warming. The need to protect this ecosystem has never been greater.
Written by: Madison DeLorme
Sources:
“Coral Reef Ecosystems.” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1 Feb. 2019, www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/marine-life/coral-reef-ecosystems#:%7E:text=About%2025%25%20of%20the%20ocean%27s%20fish%20depend%20on,the%20many%20nooks%20and%20crannies%20formed%20by%20corals.
“Coral Bleaching.” Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, flowergarden.noaa.gov/education/bleaching.html. Accessed 3 Aug. 2022.
International Coral Reef Initiative. “What Are Corals?” ICRI, 3 Apr. 2020, icriforum.org/about-coral-reefs/what-are-corals.
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