THE CORAL REEF

By: Gage Ortiz

LOCATION OF THE BIOME Coral reefs are located in tropical oceans near the equator They are mainly in the red sea and near Hawaii

ENERGY PYRAMID

ABIOTIC FACTOR INFLUENCE Rainfall and other precipitation cause the water surrounding coral

reefs to lose its natural salinity, and this results in coral reef death. When temperatures drop to lower levels around coral reefs,

certain organisms cannot survive on the reefs because the lowered temperatures prevent them from maintaining homeostasis

When there is a lack of sunlight near coral reefs, they die off because photosynthesis cannot occur without the presence of sunlight

Soil does not affect coral reefs

BIOTIC FACTORS: PHOTOGRAPHY Plants:

Animals: Algae Cyanobacteria Phytoplankton

Seastar Sea UrchinTiger Shark

INTERESTING FACTS The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef biome in the world

and it is located in Australia The island of Barbados was once a coral reef Occupying less than one quarter of 1% of the marine

environment, coral reefs are home to more than 25% of all known marine fish species

Coral reefs are found in 109 countries; significant reef degradation has occurred in 93

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR Fertilizer used on farms or home gardens washes into the

oceans. The fertilizer creates conditions that make algae increase. The extra algae cover the coral and it dies.

Dangerous fishing methods, like cyanide or blast fishing, harm and kill coral.

Positive effect: Coral reef plants and animals are important sources of new medicines being developed to treat cancer, arthritis, human bacterial infections, heart disease, viruses, and other diseases.