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WHAT ARE CORAL REEFS?
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Considered the rainforests of the sea, coral reefs have beautiful colours ranging from brown to blue. Reefs can vary in size, shape and colour. Although they may look like rocks, corals are alive. Coral polyps are the animals that form reef colonies, and each polyp has a stomach with a mouth surrounded by tentacles that can capture food. Hard corals form the reefs that attract tourists to destinations like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. They make calcium carbonate skeletons for protection and have a mutualistic relationship with the photosynthetic algae zooxanthellae. The algae receive a safe space to live while the corals get food, oxygen and waste removal. In addition, zooxanthellae give corals their colour. If you see a white or bleached coral, then it lacks zooxanthellae. ›
54 / JULY 2021 ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE
