Tiger Sharks

rainforests of the oceans, because of the rich diversity of life they support. Scientists have not yet

finished counting the thousands of different species of plants and animals that use or live in the coral

reef. There are three types of coral reefs: fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls. Fringing reefs

are located close to shore, separated from land by only shallow water. Barrier reefs lie farther

offshore, separated from land by lagoons more than ten meters deep. Atolls, on the other hand, are

formed far offshore and they make a ring-shaped reef that close a circular lagoon. Coral reefs are the

largest biological structures on the planet, with the largest being the Great Barrier Reef covering over

2000 kilometers along the east coast of Australia (Focus, 1995). The reef is said to be 500,000 to

2,500,000 years old and is said to be visible from the moon.(Scientif!

ic, 1987). There is only one problem with this beautiful structure and that is the carelessness of man.

Silt from deforested lands and pollution from crowded coastlines choke them, and overuse by coal miners,

fisheries, and even tourists deplete

allows the reef to survive in nutrient-poor tropical seas. This relationship is sensitive to such

especially since it is located so close to shore. This also makes it hard for all of the species which

porous limestone skeletons of coral is now being tested as bone grafts in humans(Focus, 1995). More

Australian Institute of Marine Science. This estimate didn’t take in global warming and ozone depletion

productive fisheries in the ocean, 10 to 100 times higher per unit area that of the deep ocean (

Scientific, 1987). If the fisheries are regulated than the reefs can be used as a food source without

as a factor. The pollution is caused by fisheries, oil spills, deforestation, tourists, and even reckless

the death of 5%-10% of the world’s living reefs, according to marine biologist Clive Wilkinson of the

Some topics in this essay:
Australia Focus, Pacific Islanders, , Galapagos IslandsFuturists, Marine Scientists, Reef Star-Bulletin, Australia Caribbean, Marine Science, coral reefs, Bay Philippines, Barrier Reef, star-bulletin 1995, reef survive, global warming, global warming ozone, coral reef, fringing reefs, reefs factors, barrier reef, reefs global warming, reckless divers, warming ozone depletion, barrier reefs, question save destroy, destroy coral reefs,