They are called oases of the ocean, and little in this world can be compared with them in beauty. They are the cherished dream of every diving enthusiast, and also a home for millions of fish ... In this article we will talk about one of nature’s most amazing creations - reefs.
Meaning and definition of the term
Reefs - what is it? From the Dutch language the word "reef" is translated as "rib". Initially, this term was used by geographers and oceanologists to denote a narrow rocky area, dangerous for shipping. Today, reefs are mainly called coral-algal formations at the bottom of the ocean. They can be of different configurations and sizes, have different location features. But not only corals can serve as “building materials” for reefs.
Reef Species
Depending on what nature has created reefs, they are divided into several types.
For example, a rocky reef is formed due to the destruction of rocky shores or the bottom. This natural phenomenon can be observed off the coast of Canada. In some areas of Scotland there are reefs created by tubular worms. Still sometimes, the "builders" of this miracle of nature are oysters and bryozoans. Sometimes you can find a barrier reef from sea grass. Sometimes the basis for its creation are sponges. Such a reef, respectively, is called sponge, and if cyanobacteria are "bothered", then the formation is called stromatolite. And finally, reefs are called artificial, which are the result of human labor.
But all of the above phenomena in nature are extremely rare. The vast majority of the reefs of the planet are a product of the life of corals.
Coral reefs - what is it?
Underwater or partially located on the surface of the limestone formations, the material for which were colonies of polyps and certain types of algae, called coral reefs.
Polyps belong to the class of marine invertebrates. They live in shallow water in the warm waters of the tropics. When a colony of coral polyps dies, many skeletons remain. And on top are the descendants of the dead, who eventually replenish the "bunch" with their remains. And so on, to infinity. It turns out that a coral reef is nothing more than a concentrated mass consisting of a huge number of living and dead polyps.
But not every coral is suitable as a building material for a reef, but only one that is able to absorb calcium carbonate from ocean water. It is calcium that is responsible for the formation of the skeleton. And the latter, in turn, then becomes the basis for the coral formation.
Scientists claim that the ability to absorb calcium is responsible for the unicellular algae in the body of the polyp. If such an element is absent, then coral will not be able to participate in the creation of the reef.
Corals can have the most various bizarre forms, as well as the configurations formed by them. As for size, real giants have grown over millions of years. And sometimes such intricate "lace" creates at the bottom of the sea reef that it is difficult to even imagine. You only need to see it with your own eyes.
Where coral reefs are found
Photos of them can be seen in our article. One of the features of coral reefs is their thermophilicity. They are fragile structures, cold water with increased or decreased salinity, as well as a shortage of sunlight contribute to their rapid destruction. Therefore, they choose the warm and comfortable seas of Southeast Asia, where almost 45% of the world "collection" is collected, the main place for their habitation. 18% of reefs "live" in the Pacific Ocean, 17% - in the Indian, 14% - in the Atlantic, and 6% - in the Red Sea.
But there are exceptions. Scientists know the colony of reefs that live in cold water. They are scattered around the world and hiding at great depths (about a kilometer). This is another distinguishing feature of them, because reefs that are not prone to winter swimming usually choose shallow water for life. The total reserves of these amazing marine objects of the planet is approximately 27 million square kilometers.
The population of coral castles
Coral reefs are called oases of sea deserts not just like that, but because of the richest stocks of fish that live in "beautiful castles." They are attracted here, of course, not by the beauty of nature, but by delicious food in the form of polyps. Thus, the house also serves the fish as lunch.
Hundreds of fish species live in each reef . They are usually small and very bright. Red, poisonous yellow, green, purple, black ... The constant flickering of these "flashlights" around the body of the reef creates an indescribable picture.
The scale is also impressive. Of the 20 thousand of all bony fishes of the planet, about a third live in coral reefs. In addition to fish, a huge number of worms, mollusks, sponges, crustaceans, and also algae live here.
Species of Coral Reef
Depending on the location, several main varieties of coral reefs are distinguished:
- Coastal (or fringing) reefs encircle the islands and are located in shallow water. They are a narrow terrace, which begins on the shore and ends at a certain distance, already in the water.
- Barrier Reefs much more removed from the coastline and separated from it by a deep depression.
- The underwater reef is completely hidden under water. None of its sections protrude above the sea surface. Such configurations are also called atolls.
The largest barrier reef in the world
The most famous and largest barrier coral reef on the planet is considered Australian. It is located in the northeastern part of the water surrounding this mainland, and stretches along Queensland, occupying about 435 square kilometers. Ships of all the states of the world could be placed on such an area, and there would still be a place for a small country.
This gigantic conglomeration of multi-colored corals began to form as early as 18 million years ago and in such a long time managed to grow to unprecedented sizes, which even diving fans have seen a lot. The Great Barrier Reef consists of many large and small, unique in shape islands. It can be seen even from space!
Red Sea Coral Treasures
Not every traveler can afford to go to enjoy reefs in Australia. But there is a wonderful alternative - Egypt. The countless riches of the Red Sea are impressive and therefore attract millions of tourists every year.
Coral reefs in Egypt are distinguished by their diversity and magical pink and blue colors. In addition, they are a magnet for marine life. Having sunk to the bottom, you can see not only beautiful coral castles, but also a huge number of rare fish. Dolphins frolic in shallow water, and the shore is literally dotted with resting turtles. They, as well as tourists, arrived here, responding to the "coral call".
In this article, we examined reefs of different sizes and shapes, what are reefs and what is their charm. Described all their varieties. You can also admire the reefs, the photos of which we provide, in this article. Once again, coral species are the most common. Therefore, when it comes to reefs, in 90% of cases it refers to coral. You can see in the photos that this is truly a spectacular sight. Today, coral reefs are considered almost one of the wonders of the world.