Oceanography

Coral Reefs are believed to be one of the most ancient ecosystems on the planet. While most recent reefs existing today began about 10,000 years ago, the beginning stages of their evolution began around 350 million years ago. They are the home for up to 4,000 different species of fish, 700 types of coral, and thousands of other plants and animals. Reefs are made up of limestone skeletons produced by coral polyps. The coral polyps die and leave behind the skeleton, resulting in their layering. This layering of skeletons forms a reef. They are usually found in warm shallow water as algae and coral grow up toward sunlight. There are three types of reefs that are important in explaining the orig...