Coral Reefs

Form 5
Geography
Kelleston Drain in Little Tobago
• Largest brain coral in the world
• 10x16 feet.
Coral Reefs
• Coral reefs are massive structures made of limestone deposited by
living things.
• Although thousands of species inhabit coral reefs, only a fraction
produce the limestone that builds the reef.
• The most important reef-building organisms are the corals. Corals are
sessile animals, meaning they are not mobile but stay fixed in one
place.
• They feed by reaching out with tentacles to catch prey such as small
fish and planktonic animals
Coral Reefs
• Corals live in colonies consisting of many individuals, each of which is
called polyp. They secrete a hard calcium carbonate skeleton, which
serves as a uniform base or substrate for the colony. The skeleton also
provides protection, as the polyps can contract into the structure if
predators approach. It is these hard skeletal structures that build up
coral reefs over time.
Three Main Types of Coral Reefs
• There are three types of coral reefs which distinguish itself from the
others. These include... Barrier Reefs, Atolls and Fringing Reefs
• A barrier reef is a coral reef parallel to the shore but is separated by a
channel of water.
• An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef, consisting of a coral rim that
encircles a lagoon.
• A fringing reef is a reef that forms around a land mass.
 Coral Atolls
Are rings of coral that create
protected lagoons and are usually
located in the middle of the sea.
Atolls usually form when islands
surrounded by fringing reefs sink
into the sea or the sea level rises
around them (these islands are
often the tops of underwater
volcanoes).
Barrier Reefs
Are parallel to the coastline but
are separated by deeper, wider
lagoons. At their shallowest point
they can reach the water's surface
forming a "barrier" to navigation.
The Great Barrier Reef in Australia
is the largest and most famous
barrier reef in the world
Fringing Reefs
Grow near the coastline around
islands and continents. They are
separated from the shore by
narrow, shallow lagoons. Fringing
reefs are the most common type
of reef that we see for example
the Buccoo Reef in Tobago
Functions of Coral Reefs
• Coastal Protection
• Habitat for Marine life
• Health and Medicinal Uses
• Fisheries
• Tourism
• Water filtering
Functions of Coral Reefs
• Coral reefs provide Coastal Protection by slowing down waves that
would otherwise break directly on the shore. These waves can be
destructive and damage unprotected sea-front property.
Importance to the Caribbean
• Protects coastline from the destructive waves and storm surges as
they act as a barrier and so prevent beach erosion. Provide harbours
and beaches which generates much needed foreign exchange for the
region.
• Breeding ground for fish and other marine life thus impacting on lives
of people along coast and especially in Caribbean where island
culture exists – fisher folks and so destruction would result in change
in their livelihood. Habitats, shelter and food for marine fauna and
flora . Provides aesthetic value to region
Coral Reefs provide protection around Tobago
Protection Provided
• Coral reefs also protect other ecosystems, like sea- grass meadows
and mangroves. These ecosystems provide us with many important
ecosystem services like water purification and food.
• In addition coral reefs protect coastlines from tropical storms and
tsunamis. This protection is likely to become more important as
climate change is predicted to make tropical storms more frequent
and destructive
Functions of Coral Reefs
• Health and Medicine - Corals and other reef inhabitants provide
medicines, including anti-cancer drugs, painkillers, and anti-
inflammatory compounds. Coral skeletons are also being used as
bone substitutes in reconstructive bone surgery.
• Remove and Recycles carbon dioxide.
• Jewellery - Fire coral is used in jewellery.
• Coral reefs support a variety of commercial fisheries including those
for nearshore fishes, crustaceans, and molluscs
• Tourism - Coral reefs attract millions of scuba divers, snorkelers, and
other tourists every year.
Threats To Coral Reefs
• Inland Development
• Over fishing/ Improper fishing techniques – Drag-netting and blasting, capturing
of reef fish.
• Coastal Development - Mangroves and sea grasses are rapidly removed,
Construction of bridges for convenient shipping
• Global Warming and Thermal pollution
• Marine Pollution - Trash, Fertilizers, pesticides and sewage dumped into coastal
water encourages algal bloom & Eutrophication.
• Sedimentation - inhibits light penetration
• Natural disasters - Violent storms, flooding and tsunami.
• Coral Reef poaching
• Physical impacts - Anchor damage, accidental boat groundings and walking.
Identify the Threats
Destruction of Coral Reefs
• Coral reefs comprise one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth,
and are home to over one million species.
• Unfortunately human interaction with coral reefs are causing them to
be destroyed at such a high rate that already 10% of coral reef habitat
has been destroyed, and within the next 20 – 40 years up to 60%
could be destroyed.
Destruction of Coral Reefs
• Coastal Development - Construction of hotels and marinas provide
turgid waters which choke coral growth. Silt from land due to run off
destroy coral organisms (sedimentation), Fertilizer run off from farm
lands as well as oil spills destroy marine life.
Destruction of Coral Reefs
• Damages caused by recreation and tourism- anchors, boat grounding

• Over exploitation by fishermen and destructive fishing methods such

as dragging fish net, dynamiting.

• Global warming will result in rise in sea level and waters will become
too deep for corals to survive.
Coral Destruction
• The majority of coral reef destruction can be blamed on human
practices. Fisheries often use extremely destructive methods in order
to catch fish, such as blast fishing (setting off dynamite to stun fish) or
cyanide fishing (using poison to stun fish). The sustainability of the
fishing industry will then depend on educating fishermen about the
importance of coral reefs and the role they play.
Global Warming – Coral Bleaching
• Global Warming is a major concern: – If temperature continues to
increase to 1-2° C, for the next 20 years there will be mass coral
bleaching worldwide. – The high seawater temperature elevation will
affect over 95% of the species living within the corals will become
extinct.
• Coral bleaching is the whitening of corals due to stress-induced
expulsion or breakdown of symbiotic algae from the coral polyps.
Under stress, corals may expel the algae, which leads to a lighter or
completely white appearance, hence the term "bleached.
• Bleached coral with no algae and Healthy coral is with algae. This is
brought on by the increase in temperatures
Coral Reef Diseases
• Coral reef diseases -Coral diseases are found around the world -High
temperatures and bleaching can leave corals more vulnerable to
disease

Examples
White Pox Disease
Reef Browning Disease
Black and Yellow Band disease
Bio-Erosion
• Marine bio-erosion can be caused by chemicals, acid rain, ocean
drilling and by mollusks, polychaete worms, phoronids, sponges,
crustaceans, echinoids, and fish.
• It can occur on coastlines, on coral reefs as boring, drilling, rasping,
and scraping.
Management of Coral Reefs
• Monitoring - Ecological and Socio-economic monitoring is an essential tool
for reef management. Ecological-physical & biological parameters. Socio-
economic-public awareness

• Reef Transplantation - Juveniles from healthy reefs introduced into

degraded ones. Controversial as scientists say, natural reefs grow better
than transplanted ones.
• Artificial reefs Reef - where underwater structures are typically built to
promote marine life.

• MPAs (Marine Protected Areas) Widely used strategy to protect reef from
human damages. Resistant pockets are identified to provide healthy and
larval corals for recovery. Emphasis on locals for sustainable use of corals.
Artificial Reef
Conservation by the Public
• Be sure not to sit, stand on, or even touch live coral.
• Divers should rest by floating or standing on the sandy bottom. They
should be very careful not to grab on to any coral formations.
• Take photos of coral reefs rather than collecting dead or living coral.
• Do not throw wastes into the sea when you are visiting coral reefs.
• People should play a major role in preventing reef degradation and
awareness should be promoted.
The End