Biology
May 2, 2008
#1 three types of coral reefs found in the Caribbean:
fringing reef- these are reefs that grow in shallow waters close to the shore or are separated from them by a strip of water. they have several zones that are told apart by their depth, structure, and the plant and animals. the different regions are the reef crest (where the waves break), the fore reef (medium energy), and the spur and groove or buttress zone (rows of coral with canyons between each row).
Barrier reef- these are large continuous reefs that grow parallel to the coast and are separated from land by a lagoon. some regions of a barrier reef is also included in fringing reefs as well as patch reefs, back reefs, and bank reefs. Barrier reefs also include reef flats, the reef crest, and a coral terrace. after the reef terrace is a deep drop into the water.
Atolls- these are annular reefs near the surface of the sea where an island surrounded by reefs subsides. they are circular or sub-circular and separate a central lagoon. two types of atolls are deep sea atolls and those found on continental shelves.
#2 Destruction of coral reefs
only 10 % of the worlds reefs are being destroyed. this isn’t a large percent of the coral reefs in the world and the media is wrong.
#3 three causes of coral reef destruction
coral reefs are being destroyed by anthropogenic fluxes in the environment. We are destroying coral reefs by naturally just touching them and by contributing to pollution. Another way we are destroying coral reefs are by some fishing habits. Cyanide fishing is one of the fishing ways that is killing coral reefs, this is when fishermen squirt cyanide into the water to stun the fish and small organisms that help coral are killed in the process. Another fishing way we’re destroying the coral reefs is by dynamite fishing, where the reefs physical structure is being completely destroyed. The last way coral reefs are being destroyed is by algae and coral bleaching. this is where The algae inside the corals either die or leave. The algae is what gives the coral its color and without the algae the white of the limestone shines through.
