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Coral Reefs

Coral Reefs. Ben Schnier Kristen Gerpe. What are Coral Reefs?. Rigid structures that stand above the sea floor Home to many living organisms Constructed of material of biological origin. Structures of Coral Reefs.

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Coral Reefs

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  1. Coral Reefs Ben Schnier Kristen Gerpe

  2. What are Coral Reefs? • Rigid structures that stand above the sea floor • Home to many living organisms • Constructed of material of biological origin

  3. Structures of Coral Reefs • Primary Framework Reefs: Carbonate byproduct material from animals living around the reefs build up on an existing skeletal foundation, typically limestone • Secondary Framework Reefs: Biological material floats in a loose matrix of sediment

  4. Basic Types of Coral Reefs • Barrier Reefs: Separated from the shoreline by moderately deep water known as lagoon • Fringing Reefs: Adjacent to shore line • Atolls: Circular Reefs with a lagoon in the center

  5. Other Types of Coral Reefs • Shelf Reefs: Smaller reefs occurring within the lagoon of an atoll or barrier reef • Caribbean Reef Flats: Flat reefs lacking a central crest • Forereef: Downward sloping reef

  6. Types of Coral • Constructors: provide the building blocks of the reef • Bafflers: affect accretion by interrupting the flow of water, thereby encouraging sedimentation • Destroyers: break down the primary framework in various ways • Dwellers: passive inhabitants that contribute to the ecologic diversity of the reef

  7. Why are Coral Reefs Important • Impact on near shore ecology • Fishery Center • Recreation/ Tourism • Provide information about marine evolution

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