Ocean’s Hidden Treasures: The Vital Role and Fragile Future of Coral Reefs
Beneath the expansive oceans that cover our planet lies a mysterious ecosystem—coral reefs—that sustain thousands of marine species and microorganisms, playing a crucial role in maintaining the earth’s ecological balance.
What is a Coral Reef?
To fully understand what a coral reef is, we must first define a coral. Often mistaken for gleaming sea structures or unusual plants, corals are actually animals, with around 6,000 known species. These coral polyps resemble sea anemones and reproduce through fragmentation or sexual reproduction. They live in colonies, and upon death, they secrete a hard calcium carbonate skeleton that becomes the foundation for future coral growth….