coral reef
Tropical marine structure
A coral reef is an underwater ridge or mound formed from the calcium carbonate skeletons of coral organisms, built up over thousands of years.
Reefs support extraordinary biodiversity, serving as habitat for fish, mollusks, and countless marine species.
The world's largest is Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
Coral reefs are threatened by ocean warming and acidification.
- lagoonSheltered coastal shallows
- polypsFixed aquatic invertebrates
- oceanMassive saltwater body
- tropical fishWarm-water ornamental species
- marineRelating to the sea
sea life · underwater world · anemone · parrotfish · algae · atoll · sea turtles · clownfish · calcium carbonate · ocean acidification · endemic species · shallow water · warm waters · cnidarian · island · fish tank · snorkeling · sponge
- ecologyhabitat, ecosystem, balance, niche, food webs
- ecosystemsrainforest, forest, desert, jungle, ocean
- Indian OceanArabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Andaman Sea
- coastal featuresshore, coast, beach, bay, cliff
- coastal placesbeach, Big Sur, island, Monterey Bay, resort
- ecotourism destinationsrainforest, wildlife sanctuary, national park, nature reserve, marine reserve
coral reefopen ocean
Sea far from shore
kelp forest · hydrothermal vent · mangrove · deep sea floor · deep sea
reef, coral, reefs, corals, reefer, coral reefs, coralberry, barrier reef, reef-building