Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Sambavan Jeyakumar
Yr 7
What Are They?
An oblique photograph of a
Blue Linckia Starfish
Three Main Types
Of all coral reefs in the world, only three types
distinguish itself from the others. These include...
An oblique photograph of a
school of vibrant orange fish
in a ribbon reef.
Location
Coral reefs are estimated to cover 284,300 square kilometres, just under 0.1% of the oceans’ surface area which is
about half the size of France but still support over 25% of the world’s marine population. The majority of the location of
coral reefs are in the Indo-Pacific region (consisting of the Red Sea, Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean), covering
91.9% of all coral reefs, followed by Australia with 40.8% and Southeast Asia with 32.3%.
Although coral reefs exist within both temperate and tropical waters, shallow water reefs form only within 30 degrees
north and south of the Equator. Coral reefs are rare along the western African and American coasts. This is primarily
due to upwelling, which is the process when the current is pushed back by the wind, and cold currents that reduce the
temperature required for reefs to grow. Coral reefs are seldom found in South Asia and South America for similar
reasons.
Coral reefs are varied around the world and most well-renowned reefs are excellent tourist destinations including...
The first man to endeavour to interpret how coral reefs became fringing, barrier and as atolls was Charles Darwin. In 1842, Charles Darwin set out his theory
of the formation of coral reefs, in his monograph ‘The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs’. Darwin theorised that it was due to uplift and subsidence of
the Earth’s crust underwater that was forming coral reefs. Darwin’s theory is as follows...
Algae - coral reefs are chronically threatened by algae and it’s consequences to the ecosystem. Inhabiting a large
percentage of area of surveyed locations, algae consists of turf algae, coralline algae and macro algae.
Sponges - sponges are an essential role in the ensuring the ecosystem maintains function. It filters the organic produce
secreted by corals and algae that are absorbed by corals in turn.
Fish - the reasons for the vast diversity of 4000 species of fish remain controversial. Around 35 tonnes of fish are found
every square kilometre of a coral reef unless damaged that will reduce the quantity.
Invertebrates - numerous invertebrates, such as sea urchins and sea slugs, play a pivotal part in preventing algae from
overrunning reefs.
Other - although the main animals found in the prolific biodiversity of a coral reef are eminent, the other animals such
as seabirds such as herons, monitor lizards and sea snakes are all another aspect of coral reefs that must be implied.
Biodiversity
Here are some examples of diverse animals that inhabit coral reefs.
Interactions
Interactions between human beings and coral reefs have been evident from the discovery of the diverse ecosystem. Organisations such as UNESCO
and Greenpeace assist and nurture coral reefs to ensure their growth is sufficient. To prevent numerous hazards, they carefully monitor each coral
reef and observe any changes or improvements to the area. Some Aboriginal Dreamtime stories also use the presence of coral reefs to represent
exuberance and a vibrant perspective of our world. Although interactions between humans and coral reefs are at substantial levels, humans pose
threats that might cease the life of this ecosystem on the face of this planet. Some practices consist of...
Cyanide and Dynamite Fishing - coral reefs are in close proximity due to such activities that have depleted the population of coral reefs substantially,
overturning the ecosystem and gravely impacting life for marine life.
Pollution - human pollutants are causing a lot of harm to coral reefs. Fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides all runoff from farmland on the shore that
results in less clarity in the water. This leads to lack of sun exposure that may kill the coral reef.
Climate Change - the consequences of human-induced climate change are colossal. The impacts of increased ultraviolet radiation, anomalies in ocean
temperature and increased ocean acidification result in tissue damage, exposure to disease, bleaching frequency and change of skeletal formation
including the secretion of calcium carbonate that will ultimately destroy coral reefs.
Sea Life Depletion - as over 25% of fish species reside in coral reefs, when marine life is caught, this not only affects coral reefs but the entire species
of that specific fish. This not only affects coral reefs by gradually decreasing its population but also humans as well, especially those that are
dependent on food for sustenance.
Diving - when divers touch coral reefs, they damage the delicate structure of the ecosystem. Photographs, residue left from boats such as petroleum
and waste material, collisions between humans and the ecosystems shape the entire coral reef.
Maximum -
Overexploitation
Minimum - Marine.
Range - 15%
Rank - 27%
Average - 33.33%
Physical Map
Location of Coral Reefs
A topographic map is a detailed, large-scale map of part of the Earth’s surface, illustrating selected features of the
physical environment. As the topography of coral reefs is inconsistent, the hand-drawn map shows the formation of
coral reefs.
Thematic Map
Climatic Map of Coral Reefs