Coral reef - Wikipedia
WEBCoral reefs first appeared 485 million years ago, at the dawn of the Early Ordovician, displacing the microbial and sponge reefs of the Cambrian. [2] Sometimes called rainforests of the sea, [3] shallow coral reefs form some of Earth's most diverse ecosystems.
Coral reef | Description, Geochemistry, Origins, & Threats
WEB4 days ago · Coral reef, ridge or hummock formed in shallow ocean areas by algae and the calcareous skeletons of coral polyps and other coelenterates. A coral reef may grow into a permanent coral island. Often called ‘rainforests of the sea,’ coral reefs are home to a spectacular variety of organisms.
Deep-water coral - Wikipedia
WEBThe first ever live video of a large deep-water coral reef was obtained in July, 1982, when Statoil surveyed a 15 metres (49 ft) tall and 50 metres (160 ft) wide reef perched at 280 metres (920 ft) water depth near Fugløy Island, north …
Coral reef facts for kids! - National Geographic Kids
WEB– The first coral reefs formed on Earth 240 million years ago. That’s before the dinosaurs were alive! – Most coral reefs today are between 5,000 and 10,000 years old. – There are more than 800 different types of hard coral around the world. – The Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef system on Earth. You can even see it from space!
Coral Reefs - National Geographic Society
WEBJul 18, 2024 · Coral reefs are important ocean habitats and offer a compelling case of the risks of climate change. Reefs provide a large fraction of Earth’s biodiversity —they have been called “the rainforests of the seas.”
Coral reef - Marine Ecosystem, Formation, Diversity | Britannica
WEBSep 11, 2024 · Coral reef - Marine Ecosystem, Formation, Diversity: English naturalist Charles Darwin concluded in 1842 that barrier reefs began as reefs fringing the land around which they now form a barrier and that oceanic …
Coral - National Geographic Society
WEBJul 18, 2024 · Corals provide habitats for fish and other organisms in the ocean. The Northwest Hawaiian Island coral reefs are home to about 7,000 species of plants and animals. Coral reefs not only provide marine species with …
Coral Reefs and Corals - Smithsonian Ocean
WEBThese images provide valuable information about the health and distribution of coral reefs over large geographic areas and can be used to map where corals are growing. Researchers use satellite imagery to identify areas of degraded or damaged coral reefs that require restoration efforts.
Great Barrier Reef - Wikipedia
WEBThe first European to sight the Great Barrier Reef was James Cook in 1770, who sailed and mapped the east coast of Australia. On 11 June 1770 Cook's ship, HMS Endeavour, ran aground on a shoal south of the present-day …
NOAA CoRIS - What are Coral Reefs
WEBAug 28, 2024 · Appearing as solitary forms in the fossil record more than 400 million years ago, corals are extremely ancient animals that evolved into modern reef-building forms over the last 25 million years. Coral reefs are unique (e.g., the largest structures on earth of biological origin) and complex systems.
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