IMPORTANCE OF CORAL REEFS

Coral reefs serve as physical buffers for ocean waves and currents.
Coral reef protecting the seashore
Coral reefs are sources of sand for some beaches.
Coral reefs support an abundance of marine plants and animals.
Some ancient corals, species such as
massive Porites corals, can provide valuable climate records.
Coral can be used in production of medecines.
Coral reef tourism creates livelihood opportunities
and revenues generated contribute to national economies
The Importance of Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are a precious resource in the ocean
because of their beauty and biodiversity. Coral
reefs provide shelter for a wide variety of marine
life, they provide humans with recreation, they
are a valuable source of organisms for potential
medicines, they create sand for beaches, and
serve as a buffer for shorelines. Coral reefs are
built by millions of coral polyps, small colonial
animals resembling overturned jellyfish that use
excess carbon dioxide in the water from the
atmosphere and turn it intolimestone