What is the ecological importance of coral reefs?

Answer 1

Coral reefs are shallow water tropical ecosystems. They are made up of hard material deposited by polyps which are tiny living organisms. The reefs protect the fragile shorelines from damage and erosion. They act as breeding grounds and shelter for many marine organisms. They are hotspots of marine bio-diversity and sources of potentially lifesaving medicines. They bring promise of medical cures that may come from the vast biodiversity of the ecosystems there.

Answer 2

Coral reefs play a key role in the ocean's environment. They serve as a habitat for rare and endangered species of fish that could not live anywhere else in the ocean. And the serve as a natural barrier for Coastlines. They stop waves from eroding shorelines and from an excess of built up sand.

Answer 3

By definition an ecosystem is a system formed by the interactions of a community of organisms with their environment.

So basically, an ecosystem is a group of animals of different species interacting and living in the same habitat. And a coral reef is both living and a habitat for other animals where they hunt, reproduce, become prey, eventually die. So it makes it an ecosystem.

Answer 4

Ecologically speaking, coral reefs are home to thousands if not millions of other marine animals and they are an important indicator species when it comes to pollution.

Answer 5

Corals help limit the amount of carbon dioxide in the ocean.

Answer 6

The benefit of the coral reef to the marine ecosystem is that it is a habitat. The majority of the ocean's species live in or around coral reef.

Answer 7

Because it provides shelter feeding and breeding grounds for many fish marine plants and marine animals

Answer 8

Their main job is cleaning the water and the animals in it. They also provide tons of resources for other ecosystems.