Coral_Ecosystem

Coral Ecosystem l reefs are one of nature’s most magnificent creations, filled with thousands of unique and valuable plants and animals. More than one quarter of all marine animals is dependent on coral reefs. Coral reefs are also a source of food and income for millions of people too. The coral reef ecosystems benefit humans commercially, recreationally and environmentally. Because of the complex interconnections between coral reefs, mangrove forests, sea grass beds, and many other different plants and animals, coral is very susceptible to destruction. One small change in any of these things can affect mass quantities of coral. That is why it is important to educate people about coral and how complex of a species they really are. That is the purpose of this report, to educate you and make you aware of that complexity. Coral is often mistakenly identified as a rock, but in all actuality, it is an animal. The actual coral is composed of small animals called coral polyps. Most polyps are very small, although rare species can grow quite large. One coral branch or mound is composed of thousands of polyps. These thousands of polyps coral, reefs, reef, polyps, fish, water, species, grow, sea, one, ocean, barrier, grass, been, animals, thousands, people, over, mangrove, beds, very, small, skeletons, reproduce, problem, near, forests, different, destruction, careless, around, affect, trying, trees, survival, surface, sperm, sand, same, recreation, plants, out, nearby, marine, life, killing, important, however, home, great