Where they’re Located Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

Where they’re Located In tropical oceans near the equator Western part of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian ocean basins Largest area is the Indo-Pacific Region (much of the Central and South Pacific Ocean from Hawaii to Japan)

Physical Characteristics degrees Celsius parts per million salinity Only about 200 feet down because of the need for sunlight for photosynthesis.

The Base of the Food Web The base consists of all the producers: – Phytoplankton – Coralline algae – Calcareous algae – Zooxanthellae – Filamentous turf algae – Various seaweed species

Examples of Animals Sponges Sea cucumbers Shrimps Crabs Clams Snails Sea turtles Sting rays Eels Angelfish Octopi Sharks

Zones of Coral Reefs 1.Back Reef Extends from the shore to the edge of the reef crest Contains patch reefs, sand plains, seagrass meadows, and mangrove forests 2.Reef Crest The narrow zone between the back reef and reef face Absorbs the incoming waves and contains currents Includes corals, algae, and sponges 3.Reef Face Begins at the edge of the reef crest and slopes downward Contains the greatest mass and diversity of hard corals, and is home to the greatest number of fish species This is the area where people tend to scuba dive

The Different Zones

Interesting Facts  Coral reefs have been forming for over the last 25 million years  These reefs only cover 0.2% of the ocean’s bottom  However, they contain more than 25% of all marine life

Resources  biome.html biome.html  books/coral/reef-ecosystem.htm books/coral/reef-ecosystem.htm  Rcoralreefs.html Rcoralreefs.html  al%20reef%20ecology.pdf al%20reef%20ecology.pdf