What is a coral?
A co ral is an animal made up of
small creatures called polyps.
Po lyps look like little worms, similar to sea
anemones. (Remember the movie Finding Dor y?)
Yo ung polyps float around the sea and attach
themselves to rocks or soil near coasts.
The y then make calcium carbonate, which forms
a protective skeleton around them.
The p olyps depend on tiny algae
called zooxanthellae for sur vival.
The algae provide the polyps with
nutrients, so they are ver y dependent on them!
Reefs can only be formed when polyps and
algae work together
How are coral reefs formed?
Over hundreds of years, the polyps live,
reproduce and die, leaving their hard
skeletons behind.
These skeletons are covered by living polyps.
When other marine animals and plants die, they
sink to the reef and also add to it over time.
The corals at the top become home to many
marine species, which use it as shelter and
safety from predators.Pronounced
“PO-lips”Pronounced
“zo-zan-THELL-eye”Remember how
calcium carbonate
was also in
the caves?Calcium carbonate is a
chemical compound found
in rocks. It is also the main
component of pearls, shells of
sea creatures, snails and
even eggs!2929
No.49 Issue 3