... many more factors which add to the destruction of the coral reefs, which if not stopped it will destroy all coral reefs. Corals are animals, not plants; sunlight is the key to their survival. They need it to power the millions of microscopic algae, called zooxanthellae, which live in their tissues. The algae provide the corals with food and oxygen in ... the environment as cloudy waters or extreme temperatures. The stress on the corals can cause them to expel their algae, a phenomenon known as bleaching. With the algae gone, the coral skeleton is visible and eventually it dies. Dead cor...

• Word Count: 1240
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School