Tropical Coral Reef Ecosystems

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#coralreef #ecosystems #ngscience
Learn all about the most ecologically diverse marine ecosystems – tropical coral reefs.

The ocean is a large body of salt water that covers more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and gives the Earth its deep blue color.

Within the ocean are a range of different ecosystems. There are temperate kelp forests, mangrove forests, estuaries, open ocean and deep-sea ecosystems. Today, I going to show you the most ecologically diverse ocean ecosystem of all - tropical coral reefs! Ready?...Let's go.

Tropical coral reefs are composed of colonies of marine invertebrates called corals. Some corals, like anemones and sea fans are soft corals. They have soft, flexible bodies. They get the energy they need by filter feeding on micro-organisms that pass by in ocean currents.

The corals that build the reef structure are called hard corals. Many single corals, called polyps live together in groups called colonies.
These corals take in calcium carbonate from seawater to create a hard outer-covering called an exoskeleton that protects there soft bodies.

When a hard coral dies, it leaves behind its exoskeleton on which new corals will attach and grow. Over hundreds of years, this process builds a coral reef!

Coral reefs are underwater ecosystems that provide many habitats for huge diversity of marine animals to seek shelter, find food and reproduce. They account for less than 0.1% of the worlds ocean area, yet are home to more than 25% of all marine organisms.

There is a great variety of fish, from tiny anemone fish and sea horses to fish giants like groupers, reef sharks and rays. Marine reptiles like sea turtles and sea snakes also cruise coral reefs in search of food.

Tropical coral reefs are also home to thousands of different marine invertebrates. There are a variety of mollusks like clams and octopuses.

There's thousands of different crustaceans including crabs, shrimp and lobsters.

Echinoderms like star fish, sea cucumbers and sea urchins span out across the ocean floor.

Most corals grow at a rate of less than one centimeter per year! ... and a single tropical reef can take thousands of year to form.

Sadly, tropical coral reefs around the world are declining. The corals that make up reefs are very sensitive to changes in ocean conditions such as temperature, acidity and excess nutrients. Scientists believe the decline in coral reefs is largely due to human-induced climate change causing an increase in the sea surface temperature. Run-off from farming and other coastal land uses is also contributing to the decline in coral reefs.

Reducing carbon emissions and adopting more responsible coast land use practises is essential to ensuring these amazing underwater ecosystems continue to survive.

What is an Ecosystem?
Think of the different living and non-living things that make up a pond environment. How do the parts interact with each other?

An ecosystem is a system in nature where all of the parts – living and non–living, interact with each other for the environment to function as a whole.

An ecosystem can be small, such as a pond in a park. An ecosystem can also be very large, such as a desert that stretches for hundreds on kilometers. All ecosystems have to main components – living components and non-living components.

The living components of an ecosystem and the ways in which they affect the environment around them are called biotic factors. Biotic factors include the plants, animals, fungi and bacteria in an ecosystem.

In a temperate forest ecosystem, a biotic factor such as the number of tall trees may affect the availability of shelter for birds and small mammals. The different types of animals interact with each other when they compete for resources such as food and water.

Non-living components are called abiotic factors. The abiotic factors include all of the things that enable the biotic factors to survive in the environment. Abiotic factors include water, sunlight, temperature and soil.

The abiotic and biotic factors can be very different in different ecosystems. In all ecosystems, the interaction of the biotic and abiotic factors make the ecosystem function. If there are changes in the biotic and abiotic factors, the whole ecosystem may change as a result.