Coral Reef Ecosystem
As we move from the open Arabian Gulf towards land, the first ecosystem we stumble upon is the colorful coral reef. Coral reefs are distributed 30 degrees on either side of the equator and are prime real estate in the marine environment because they provide shelter and nursery grounds in their nooks and crannies.
They also offer an abundance of food resources amidst an otherwise bare sea floor. Twenty five percent (25%) of all the living marine organisms known to humans live in coral reefs, each with their own life history and function, making coral reefs biodiversity hotspots.
Corals themselves, are small animals. At the beginning of their life-cycle, fertilized coral embryos develop into pelagic larvae, freely floating in seawater. When the larvae find a suitable substrate, they quickly attach and metamorphoze into coral polyps. Polyps replicate to form colonies that with time become coral reefs. This is the reason we call corals ecosystem engineers, because they help construct a whole vibrant ecosystem one polyp at a time.
Other Information
Published in: Earthna publications reports
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
See educational resource on publisher's website: https://www.earthna.qa/publications/educational-materials/qatar-marine-ecosystem-lesson-plans
Project Identifier (PI): EEF-2023-003
History
Language
- English
Publisher
Earthna in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC)Publication Year
- 2023
License statement
This Item is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.Institution affiliated with
- Earthna
- Qatar Foundation
- Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
- Qatar Green Building Council