Coral Reefs

D. David
 Objectives
Students should be able to:
– Describe the formation of coral reefs
– Outline the conditions necessary for the formation
of reefs
– Identify and describe each of the 3 types of reefs
– Discuss the main threats to coral reefs
 Coral Reefs Defined

• A coral reef is a hard rocky offshore ridge built

up from the sea bed by coral polyps.
• This marine ecosystem is rich in biodiversity
and is often referred to at the rainforest of the
sea.
 The Importance of Coral Reefs
• The provide a habitat for marine life. In fact more than
25% of all known species are found in reefs.
• Supports other industries e.g. fishing industry and tourism.
• They protect the coasts and beaches from erosion by
acting as buffer zones.
• Much of the sand on Caribbean beaches are derived from
corals.
Formation of Coral reefs
• Coral Polyps are the tiny soft
bodied organism that is
responsible for the construction
of reefs. At their base is a hard,
protective limestone skeleton
called a calicle, which forms the
structure of coral reefs. There
are millions of species of coral
polyps.
 Formation of Coral Reefs
• Reefs begin when a polyp attaches itself to a
rock on the sea floor, then divides, or buds,
into thousands of clones. The polyp calicles
connect to one another, creating a colony that
acts as a single organism. As colonies grow
over hundreds and thousands of years, they
join with other colonies and become reefs.
Some of the coral reefs on the planet today
began growing over 50 million years ago.
The Structure of Coral Polyps
Click the links below to view a video on coral
reefs

• https://youtu.be/ZiULxLLP32s

• https://youtu.be/tZuxZdG6TfM
 Conditions necessary for the formation of
reefs

1. The temperature of the water should be between 21

and 30 degrees Celsius. N.B. The optimum temperature
is between 23-25 degrees Celsius.
2. Sunlight must be able to penetrate to where the coral is
growing.
3. The water must have the right amount of salinity.
4. The water must be unpolluted, clear and well aerated
 Types of Coral
• There are four types of coral reefs recognized
by the scientific community. They are:
1. Coral atolls
2. Fringing reefs
3. Barrier reefs
4. Patch reefs
However, the CSEC syllabus requires knowledge of
only the first 3.
Coral Atolls
Atolls are isolated ring shaped reefs with low
lying coral islands. At its centre is a lagoon and
surrounding the reef is the open sea.
Most of the world’s coral atolls are found in
the Pacific and Indian oceans.

Atolls usually form when islands

surrounded by fringing reefs sink
into the sea or the sea level rises
around them.
 Fringing Reefs
• 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.
 Formation of Fringing Reefs

• Fringing reefs from close to the shore from the

gradual accumulation of coral. Between the
shore and coral is a shallow lagoon that is rich
in marine life.
 Barrier Reefs

• Barrier reefs are much larger than fringing

reefs and they are found in deep water.
 Formation of Barrier Reefs
• Barrier reefs are thought to develop where a fringing reef is
formed next to a low-lying coastal plain.

• A relative rise in sea level over thousands of years floods the

coastal low land, creating a much wider body of water.

• As the coral continues to grow, a large barrier reef is created

that is now separated from the coast by many kilometers.
Threats to Coral Reefs
 What do you recall?
• What are coral reefs?
• Describe the conditions necessary for the
formation of coral reefs.
• Name the THREE main types of coral reefs.
• Describe the formation of ONE of the named
coral reefs.
• Discuss any TWO threats facing coral reefs.
The End.