What are Coral Reefs?
Coral reefs are the regions of very high biodiversity. These are found due to accumulation and solidification of skeletons of the lime secreting organisms known as Coral Polyps.They are lime dominating rocks.
Ideal conditions for the formation of Coral Reefs.
Coral reefs are formed in the tropical seas that is between 25 degree north to 25 degree south latitudes.
These are found up to a depth of 200-300ft along some islands or coasts on the sub-marine platforms, where the Sun's rays reach.
The ideal temperature for their growth is 20-25 degree C.
The high salinity and fresh water both are harmful for their growth.
For the proper growth of coral reefs the average salinity should be 25%-30%.
Waves and Ocean currents are helpful for their growth.
Types of coral reefs:
Coral reefs are of three types:
1- Fringing coral reef:
These are the coral reefs developed along the coasts. For example: Gulf of Mannar in India and Southern Florida in USA etc.
2- Barrier reef;
These coral reefs are formed on the coastal platforms.
There is extensive but shallow lagoon between the coastal land and the reef.
Great Barrier Reef, located parallel to the east coast of Australia in Queensland, is the largest of all the barrier reefs of the world.
It stretches to a length of 1200 miles.
3- Coral Ring or Atoll:
A ring of narrow growing corals of horse-shoe shape is called Atoll. It is generally found around an island or in elliptical form on a submarine platform.
There is a lagoon in the middle of the coral.
examples are- Fiji Atoll, Funfutti Atoll etc.
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