![]() ![]() Corals are seldom found along the coastline of South Asia from the eastern tip of India (Madras) to the Bangladesh and Myanmar borders. This is due primarily to upwelling and strong cold coastal currents that reduce water temperatures in these areas (respectively the Peru, Benguela and Canary streams). Coral reefs are rare along the American and African west coasts. Deepwater coral can exist at greater depths and colder temperatures at much higher latitudes, as far north as Norway. ![]() Although corals exist both in temperate and tropical waters, shallow-water reefs form only in a zone extending from 30°N to 30°S of the equator. They are most commonly found at shallow depths in tropical waters, but deep water and cold water corals also exist on smaller scales in other areas. Paradoxically, coral reefs flourish even though they are surrounded by ocean waters that provide few nutrients. They provide a home for 25% of all marine species, including fish, mollusks worms, crustaceans, echinoderms, sponges, tunicates and other cnidarians. ![]() Yet often called ―rainforests of the sea‖, coral reefs form some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth. Atlantic and Caribbean coral reefs account for 7.6%. Southeast Asia accounts for 32.3% of that figure, while the Pacific including Australia accounts for 40.8%. The Indo-Pacific region accounts for 91.9% of this total area. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups.Ĭoral reefs are estimated to cover 284,300 km2 just under 0.1% of the oceans‘ surface area, about half the area of France. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. \): Scyphozoans include the jellies.Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. ![]()
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