GEOGRAPHY PROJECT Group members: Steven Williams Narendra Ram Ryan Tullah Brad Sammy Aravinda Singh

WHAT IS A CORAL REEF? A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem formed when free swimming coral polyps attach to surfaces such as rock at the edge of islands/continents

WHERE ARE THEY FOUND? They are found in tropical oceans around the equator In warm waters with temperatures of 21-29 degrees Celsius (70-85F) The water must be clear and clean The depth of the water should be around 18-27 meters (60-90 feet) The water must be seawater (salt water) THIS MAP SHOWS WHERE CORALS/CORAL REEFS CAN BE FOUND

WHAT ARE THEIR USES? Protects coastlines from potential damage caused by the action of waves and tropical storms They provide habitats for >4000 species of fish They provide nitrogen and other essential nutrients for marine food chains Assist in carbon and nitrogen fixing Help with nutrient recycling

MEDICAL USES OF CORAL REEFS Coral reef plants and animals are being used to develop new medicines to treat diseases such as cancer, arthritis, viruses etc.

THREATS TO CORAL REEFS

Physical damage or destruction from costal development, dredging, quarrying, destructive fishing practices and gear, boat anchors and groundings and recreational misuse (touching, walking on or breaking off pieces of corals)

Pollution that originates on land but finds its way into costal waters Pollution that originates on land but finds its way into costal waters. There are many types and sources of pollution from land-based activities, for example: Sedimentation from costal development, urban storm (rain) water runoff, forestry and agriculture. Sedimentation has been identified as a primary stressor for the existence and recovery of coral species and their habitats. Sediment deposited onto reefs can smother the corals and interfere with their ability to grow, feed and reproduce.

Toxic substances including metals, organic chemicals and pesticides found in industrial waste, sunscreens, urban and agricultural runoff, mining activities and runoff from landfills. Pesticides can affect coral reproduction , growth and other physical processes. Herbicides in particular can affect the symbiotic algae (plants). This can affect their partnership with coral and result in bleaching. Heavy metals such as lead and mercury as well as organic substances such as polychlorobiphenyls (PCB’s), oxybenzone and dioxin are suspected of affecting coral reproduction, growth rate , feeding and defensive responses.

Overfishing can alter food-web structure and cause cascading effects such as reducing the numbers of grazing fish that eat the algae off of corals. Dangerous fishing methods such as blast fishing (using explosives to catch fish) as well as poison fishing (using toxic chemicals such as sodium cyanide to kill fish) can cause physical harm to corals.

STRATEGIES USED TO PROTECT CORAL REEFS

Don’t litter on the beach or in the ocean, leaving behind things like fishing nets or general garbage on a beach can get into the ocean and harm the reefs. Trash can smother the corals and cause them to die. Littering also causes harm to the creatures which are necessary for the coral’s survival that are populating the reefs. The litter is often called marine debris Don’t purchase coral souvenirs. You shouldn’t take anything out of the ocean that is alive or buy it in a store either. Coral takes a long time to grow, so taking them as jewelry or decoration will undo years of growth of the corals. Don’t purchase reef fish either. Inquire about fish before you buy them in pet stores.

Minimize use of fertilizers Minimize use of fertilizers. The overuse of fertilizers can lead to the damaging of coral reefs since the nitrogen and phosphorus in the fertilizers can be washed away into rivers by rain and end up in oceans. These nutrients can cause a buildup of algae which leads to the death of corals.

THE END! :D