Protection from storms: Coral reefs are also our first line of defense against tropical storms, helping to protect all of our coastal communities. Their beautiful shapes and colors are a magnet for divers, but they also provide an excellent home for thousands of marine creatures, including fish we … Coral reefs, some of the Earth’s most remarkable natural structures, have more than aesthetic significance. This is a remarkable statistic when you consider that reefs cover just a tiny fraction (less than one percent) of the earth’s surface and less than two percent of the … Starfish are carnivores.They eat clams,oysters,coral,fish,and other animals.Starfish live in oceans and coral reefs all around the world.Starfish need clams and coral to live.Starfish are invertebrates.They are very rare animals.Starfish are consumers. Local Economies: Coral reefs … Lionfish are aggressive predators and threaten local species. Coral reefs are the most diverse of all marine ecosystems. Its known habitats were some 1,700 km away in the Ashmore and Hibernia Reefs … Habitat: They support 25% of all marine animals, from thousands of fish species to sponges to marine mammals. The sun is the initial source of energy for this ecosystem. Around a coral reef live many animals such as sponges, mollusks, crustaceans, sea anemones, a wide variety of fish, and even the coral itself is an animal. Climate change affects coral reef ecosystems by increasing sea surface temperatures and leads to coral bleaching, disease, sea level rise and storm activity.Additionally, increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere changes ocean chemistry and harms reef-building corals. The native Pacific fish probably escaped from an aquarium. crown The upper region of something. There are lots of articles, different … Coral reefs are vital for a healthy ecosystem. Some of the most colorful animal species in the world make their home among the coral. NOAA Coris (Coral Reef Information System) – This website is full of information about the coral reefs located within the United States, territories and remote island areas. Through photosynthesis, phytoplankton, algae, and other plants convert light energy into chemical energy. When thinking of what animals and plants live in coral reefs, it’s important to realize that, despite taking up less than ½ of 1% of the Earth oceans’ surface, coral reefs house more than ¼ of the world’s marine life. dead zone An area of open water where oxygen levels are so low that oxygen-dependent organisms cannot live. It prefers waters up to 10 metres in depth. Coral reefs are underwater structures built by tiny sea animals. Websites and Articles on Coral Reef Animals: Coral Reef Education Article for Grades 6-12– National Geographic. The leaf-scaled sea snake (Aipysurus foliosquama), is a venomous sea snake which belongs to the endangered animals in the coral reefs. In the Florida Keys, where the shore is lined with residential homes and commercial buildings, these reefs are a last line of defense against devastating tropical storms . Hard corals, which have a stone-like skeleton, grow into reefs on the edges of tropical islands and continents. Unsustainable fishing practices in coral reef areas can lead to the loss of ecologically and economically important fish species. coral Marine animals that often produce a hard and stony exoskeleton and tend to live on reefs (the exoskeletons of dead ancestor corals). They teem with life, with perhaps one-quarter of all ocean species depending on reefs for food and shelter. The spotfin lionfish (Pterois antennata), with venomous spines extended, is native to Indo-Pacific reefs.Certain lionfish species have invaded reefs in Florida, the Caribbean and are moving up the Atlantic coast. The coral reef ecosystem is a diverse collection of species that interact with each other and the physical environment. Benefits of Coral Reefs. Coral reefs stabilize mangroves and seagrass beds, providing habitats, oxygen, and vegetation for inland species besides humans. A healthy coral reef system can support a huge number of aquatic animal life. This species is endemic to the Ashmore and Cartier Islands of Australia.