Coral Reefs - Intro & Conditions Flashcards
What are Coral Reefs?
Coral Reefs are rocky, hard ridges that form on the seabed. They are external skeletons of millions of tiny, coral animals; polyps.
(Conditions) What is the typical water temperature needed in order for Coral Reefs to form?
23-25 C°
(Conditions) Why are they found in shallow waters - usually less than 46m?
So the sunlight can penetrate through the water easily and reach to the algea which is what the Coral feed on.
(Conditions) Why do Corals need crystal clear waters?
Corals also require sunlight in order to grow faster as the algea uses photosynthesis to covert sunlight into energy. Hence why they need crystal clear water.
Between which two latitude lines are CRs found? What are the measures in degrees?
Corals are mostly found between the Tropic of Cancer & the Tropic of Capricorn. Between 30N° and 30S°.
Do Corals like freshwaters?
Corals prefer salty water; they need lots of salinity.
Which ocean has the most CRs?
The Pacific Ocean.
Why don’t we have CRs in the UK?
As we are more in the North, the waters are way too cold for the corals.
Why do corals have so many different colours?
The algea they eat reflects in different colours in the sunlight.
Why are Corals important?
They are one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. They give home to 25% of all known marine species.
Why is wave action good for corals?
Wave action carries food, nutrients & oxygen to the reefs.
