Blog Post Twenty
#COLORSOFTHEOCEAN_20
In its simplest definition, this is a piece of coral. Coral reefs are often refereed to as “the rain forests of the seas”. It is estimated that 25% of all marine species live in and around coral reefs. Thus, they help create one of the most diverse habitats you will ever find.
Take a closer look, you can see that this piece of coral is made up of a colony of coral polyps. These polyps are small free swimming marine animals. They sort of look like mini sea anemones. They typically attach to solid substrates such as rock, marine debris, etc on the bottom of the ocean. It will divide or bud over and over into many clones. The polyp has a hard base, often called a calicle. The calicles will connect to one another creating a coral colony, or the structure of the reef, that acts as a single organism. This my friends, is how a coral reef begins.
The polyp possess an algae, called zooxanthellae, that lives inside of it. The polyp provides a tough outer shell of protection, while the algae produce food thru photosynthesis. This allows the hard outer calcium carbonate shell (of protection) to grow. This is a symbiotic relationship between the coral and the algae. This algae is also what is responsible for providing the coral with it’s vibrant colors.