1. THE CORAL REEF By: Gage Ortiz

2. LOCATION OF THE BIOME  Coral reefs are located in tropical oceans near the equator  They are mainly in the red sea and near Hawaii

3. ENERGY PYRAMID

4. ABIOTIC FACTOR INFLUENCE  Rainfall and other precipitation cause the water surrounding coral reefs to lose its natural salinity, and this results in coral reef death.  When temperatures drop to lower levels around coral reefs, certain organisms cannot survive on the reefs because the lowered temperatures prevent them from maintaining homeostasis  When there is a lack of sunlight near coral reefs, they die off because photosynthesis cannot occur without the presence of sunlight  Soil does not affect coral reefs

5. BIOTIC FACTORS: PHOTOGRAPHY  Plants:  Animals: Algae CyanobacteriaPhytoplankton Seastar Sea Urchin Tiger Shark

6. INTERESTING FACTS  The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef biome in the world and it is located in Australia  The island of Barbados was once a coral reef  Occupying less than one quarter of 1% of the marine environment, coral reefs are home to more than 25% of all known marine fish species  Coral reefs are found in 109 countries; significant reef degradation has occurred in 93

7. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR  Fertilizer used on farms or home gardens washes into the oceans. The fertilizer creates conditions that make algae increase. The extra algae cover the coral and it dies.  Dangerous fishing methods, like cyanide or blast fishing, harm and kill coral.  Positive effect: Coral reef plants and animals are important sources of new medicines being developed to treat cancer, arthritis, human bacterial infections, heart disease, viruses, and other diseases.