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A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals.Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. [1] Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups.
Canton Island typifies the isolated coral atolls dotting the Pacific Ocean. The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs, Being the first part of the geology of the voyage of the Beagle, under the command of Capt. Fitzroy, R.N. during the years 1832 to 1836, was published in 1842 as Charles Darwin's first monograph, and set out his theory of the formation of coral reefs and atolls.
There are two main classifications for corals: hard coral (scleractinian and stony coral) [13] which form reefs by a calcium carbonate base, with polyps that bear six stiff tentacles, [14] and soft coral (Alcyonacea and ahermatypic coral) [13] which are pliable and formed by a colony of polyps with eight feather-like tentacles. [14]
Coral reefs also help coastal communities by forming a protective barrier against storm surges and large waves. This helps to avoid property damage for more than 5 million people worldwide, a 2022 ...
Stony corals occur in all the world's oceans. Much of the framework of modern coral reefs is formed by scleractinians. Reef-building or hermatypic corals are mostly colonial; most of these are zooxanthellate and are found in the shallow waters into which sunlight penetrates.
And, US fisheries rely on coral reefs to provide food. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates the commercial value of US fisheries from coral reefs to be over $100 million.
Coral reefs around the world are experiencing global bleaching for the fourth time, top reef scientists declared Monday, a result of warming ocean waters amid human-caused climate change. Coral ...
Coral reefs, physical structures formed from calcium carbonate, are important on biological and ecological scales to the regions they are endemic to. [12] Their robust calcification abilities have resulted in extensive calcium carbonate deposits, some housing significant hydrocarbon reserves. [17]