Oceanography
The coral reefs are the second richest ecosystem, or interdependent environment, on Earth after tropical forests, which is why we need to pay close attention to the changes in the reef. More than 100,000 km (62,000 miles) of the tropical coastline of the world are, or rather, were protected by living coral reefs, and tens of thousands of islands and atolls owe their existence to the reef forming process. (Gray 7) The coral reefs are nature's own front line sea defenses, self-building, self-repairing and the home for more than a third of all the fish species of the world and is a playground for all other sea creatures. The reefs are made up of billions of tiny animals called polyps. Throughout history, the sea levels have gone up and down, because of the ice ages and other upheavals. Because of this, new reefs have formed, protecting what was left and growing back to keep the heads of the reefs and atolls where they should be. While the reefs are growing, the communities lock up greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, and then release it again when the coral decays. The coral reefs are a crucial part of the ecosystem on this planet, so the effects of the coral reef should be taken seriously. Last year, ten percent of the world'
Then analysis stacked the rings to recreate the cavity. This kind of news will probably come as a surprise to many biologists because most have ignored how an increase in carbon dioxide levels can effect the nature of the reefs. As the device advances, the team will record the series of irregular light rings. In the Caribbean Sea floor where the algae problem seems to be the worst, the coral seem to have lost their natural defense because of a mysterious plague. The accumulation of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere is stunting the growth of coral reefs and represents a significant new threat to reef health. When the algae grows on the coral, the algae reduces the amount of light that reaches the coral. The Gulf of Mexico has been a very popular site for tourism in the last twenty-five years, but it is also a popular site for coral. There is over 1,400 different kinds of fish and 400 different kinds of coral in this one reef. Then what happens is the turfs can eventually overgrow and smother the coral reef. (Anonymous) Some researchers believe that coral themselves could prove to be useful in grafting bones. Most of the living coral in the Caribbean is at its lowest point since the coral colonized there years ago. The carbon dioxide caused the coral and reef-building algae to secrete the mineral calcium carbonate - the skeleton of reefs - slower than it normally would in cleaner water. Scientists have recently found evidence that shows that carbon dioxide harms coral reefs. When the urchins were infected, they lost spines, grew lethargic and exuded mucus. Deep lagoons separate the Barrier Reefs from land.
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