WORLD RESOURCES-CORAL REEFS
WHAT ARE CORAL REEFS?
Coral reefs are structures of carbonate minerals made by living organisms. Cnidarians, which secrete an exoskeleton of calcium carbonate, are those groups of organisms that mostly predominate in most of the reefs. The skeletal material accumulates, gets broken and piled up by wave action The bioeroders produce huge amount of calcareous structures that make conducive habitats for living corals and also to a variety of plants and animals.
FAMOUS CORAL REEFS IN THE WORLD
Here is a list of coral reefs all over the world. Read and enjoy
File Type: MS Word Document: 29 K
IMPORTANCE OF CORAL REEFS
- 1.Corals recycle and eliminate excessive carbon dioxide gas which is responsible for global warming
- 2.Coral reefs protect our land from disastrous ocean storms and floods.
- 3.It is an excellent ecosystem which provides shelter for a variety of organisms. Without these reefs many organisms would have died
- 4.They are a source of income to the country because they attract tourists from all over the world.
- 5.It is also observed that these coral reefs provide medicinal drugs which include anti cancer drugs.
- 6.Skeletons of corals are useful in reconstructive bone surgery
- 7.They are considered as living laboratories which offer wide scope for research and study.
WHAT ARE THE MAJOR THREATS?
The major emerging threat to coral reefs in the last decade has been coral bleaching and mortality associated with global climate change.”
High sea surface temperatures during 1998 led to global coral bleaching and mortality.
Corals were again affected drastically in the year 2004
Some reefs are expected to disappear from the earth by 2020
Research by Greenpeace says that most of the corals are going to be eliminated within the next 30 years if proper care is not taken.
Corals were also badly affected in areas where nuclear tests were carried on.
CORAL REEFS ARE OUR VALUABLE TREASURES
Corals are fascinating and attract the sight of every one.It is important to understand that they too are our natural resources that need to be conserved.
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HOW CAN WE PROTECT THESE USEFUL RESOURCES?
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1.BAN ANY TYPE OF COLLECTION
Many countries all over the world including Hawaii, Guam, and Puerto Rico and India have banned collecting corals live or dead .
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2,.REGULATE INTERNATIONAL TRADE TO AVOID EXTINCTION
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which regulates international trade of certain animals and plants ,strictly controls trade of corals as it may lead to extinction of these species.
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3.KEEP THEIR HABITATS SAFE
We must provide safe habitats for saving these precious resources because once lost ,these resources can never be got back.
- Page Source : http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/Coral/conscr.html
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Picture Source:(pictures are in public domain)
1.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FFS_Table_bottom.jpg 2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coral_polyp.jpg 3.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Linckia_Starfish.JPG