Coral - Wikipedia
WEBCorals are colonial marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.
Coral | Definition, Types, Location, & Facts | Britannica
WEBApr 24, 2024 · Coral, any of a variety of invertebrate marine organisms of the class Anthozoa that are characterized by skeletons—external or internal—of a stonelike, horny, or leathery consistency. The term coral is also applied to the skeletons of those animals, particularly to those of the stonelike corals.
Coral - National Geographic Society
WEBOct 19, 2023 · Coral reefs not only provide marine species with a rich habitat, but they also assist people as well. Millions of people around the world rely on fish caught in and around coral reefs. The reefs also draw in tourists, which helps the local economies. Coral reefs protect people and land from storms as well, serving as a barrier that reduces the ...
Coral reef - Wikipedia
WEBA coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Coral belongs to the class Anthozoa in the animal phylum Cnidaria, which includes sea anemones and jellyfish.
Corals | National Geographic
WEBAnimals. Photo Ark. Corals. 3:37. WATCH: Coral Reefs 101. What are coral reefs? Coral can be found in tropical ocean waters around the world. But how much do you know about reefs and the tiny...
Coral reef | Description, Geochemistry, Origins, & Threats
WEBMay 11, 2024 · coral reef, ridge or hummock formed in shallow ocean areas by algae and the calcareous skeletons of certain coelenterates, of which coral polyps are the most important. A coral reef may grow into a permanent coral island. Often called the “rainforests of the sea,” coral reefs are home to a spectacular variety of organisms. Structure.
Coral Reefs and Corals | Smithsonian Ocean
WEBCoral reefs are the most diverse of all marine ecosystems. They teem with life, with perhaps one-quarter of all ocean species depending on reefs for food and shelter. This is a remarkable statistic when you consider that reefs cover just a tiny fraction (less than one percent) of the earth’s surface and less than two percent of the ocean bottom.
Corals - National Geographic Society
WEBCorals are small marine animals. The “hard” type of coral grows with the help of algae, which gives it color and nutrients that help it form a sturdy, stony skeleton. Reefs, which form through the accumulation of hard coral, are a vital ecosystem, supporting an estimated 25 percent of ocean species.
Coral Reefs - National Geographic Society
WEBOct 19, 2023 · Coral reefs are important oceanhabitats and offer a compelling case of the risks of climate change. Reefs provide a large fraction of Earth’s biodiversity —they have been called “the rain forests of the seas.”. Scientists estimate that 25 percent of all marine species live in and around coral reefs, making them one of the most diverse ...
Coral reef ecosystems - National Oceanic and Atmospheric …
WEBFeb 1, 2019 · marine life. education. Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Coral polyps, the animals primarily responsible for building reefs, can take many forms: large reef building colonies, graceful flowing …
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