Coral - Subsidence
Coral - Subsidence
Coral - Subsidence
cORAL REEFS
survive above water level and mostly calcium carbonate (Ca CO3). More than 50
polyps cannot
percent of calcium carbonates of coral reefs is
hence coral reefs are always found either upto sea
contributed by algae. Coral reef consists of corals,
level or below it. They are generally attached to
their skeletons and reef as basic components
submarine platforms or islands
submerged under which need brief introduction.
seawater. It may be mentioned that coral reefs are
more diverse than the tropical rain forests because
Corals or Coral Animals
the coral recfs have about 1,000,000 species of
which only 10 percent have been studied.
The living organisms of the category of
This is why these are called as rainforests of the
marine animals and related to jellyfísh, which are
oceans.
324
OCEANOGRAPHY
building coral reefs, called after the death of coral animals. These carbonat.
responsible for are
polyps or simply corals. Corals may live as solitary
individuals or in a colony but only the corals
skeletons are
cemented and compacted to forma
reef. The process ot reet
living in groups in big colonies can form coral
1ormation continues and
a massive large coral
reefs. Corals are lime secreting sea
reet, like the Great Barrier
Reef off the east coast of Australia, is
belonging to the phylum Cnidaria. The close
organisms formed.
The other characteristic of coral
examination of the body
of coral animals (polyps) animals will be discussed later
features
in this
reveals the fact that the outer layer of the flesh of chapter.
the animal consists of unicellular
photosynthetic 13.3 cONDITIONS FOR THE GROWTHOF CORAL
plants, called as zooxanthellae, which comprise
more than 75 of the tissue weight of coral POLYPS
percent
animals. These plants help in providing nutrients
to coral animals and Coral animals
also assist them in
secreting (polyps) need certain
condi
carbonates Thus, there is symbiotic relationship tions of temperature, depth of water, nature of
(mutualism) between coral animals and photosyn- seawater etc. for their smooth survival and growth
thetic zooxanthellae, which live as follows:
together. There
are many tentacles at the mouths of polyps, which
help them to catch preys. In this way coral Temperature of Seawater
get their food through two sources, namely animals
(1)
through zooxanthellae algae, and (2) through their Coral polyps are temperature sensitive
own tentacles. Polyps are cup-shaped animals of shallow sea animals because they cannot survive
the size of average ants. in either very high or very low
temperature
conditions. Corals are found mainly in the tropical
Coralite Oceans and seas where mean monthly temperature
remains more than
1S°C but less than 30°C
throughout the year. If the average monthly
The exterior skeletons of coral animals are
called corallites or houses of polyps. In fact, coral temperature exceeds 30°C corals are bleached and
die. Suitable thermal conditions are, thus, found
animals build their own skeletal houses of
in the broad tropical zone of oceans, of which
calcium carbonate in which they are
protected the
from predators. In fact, corallites are the bodies of poleward boundary is determined by the 20°C
isotherms in both the hemispheres. Since the
living coral animals, and are called exoskeletons
annual range of temperature is usually less than
and are composed of compact rigid calcium
3°C in the Indo-Pafic Ocean, there is the
carbonate (limestone). The bottom portion of the largest
variety of corals in that region (fig. 13.2) as there
corallites consist of a few vertical compartments. are more than 50 genera of coral
These vertically divided compartments are called polyps in the
tropical Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean.
septa. These corallites or exterior skeletons of Sometimes, the temperature of seawater rises
coral animals are the basic raw materials for the above normal and hence many corals die due to
formation of coral reefs. coralbleaching (this aspect will be elaborated
later). Such situation arises when the El Nino
Reefs phenomena become strong and La Nina becomes
weak. Such situation was created
during the year
The coral reefs are cemented and com- 1997-98 when 50 to 75 percent corals died
account of coral bleaching as a
on
pacted rigid massive structures of numberless
corallites (skeletons) of dead coral animals. It rise in normal sea
consequence of
temperature caused
by global
may be mentioned that only the upper and outer warming. Wherever the warm ocean currents flow
parts of coral reefs are housed by living coral the poleward limit of the
growth of polyps
polyps. In fact, the skeletons of calcium carbonate 35° latitudes in both the hemi-
of coral
ncreases upto
spheres in the western margins of ocean basins.
animals are deposited one upon another
CORAL REEFS
325
Depth of Seawater
the density of suspended materials which deter-
mines the degree of turbidity of seawater. As a
Sufficient sunlight should be available for rule, the higher the density of suspended materi
the growth of coral the greater is the turbidity of seawater and
polyps. It may be
mentioned als,
that sunlight does not favour coral animals VICe versa. Turbidity of ocean water also deter-
directly rather it helps them indirectly because mines its transparency which decreases with
z0Oxanthellae (a microscopic algae) which are increase in turbidity and muddiness. The coral
embedded in the tissues of outer bodies of coral polyps require clean sediment-free water for their
animals (polyps) need sunlight to manufacture growth because muddy water clogs the mouths of
tood the process of photosynthesis. These coral result
through
Z0Oxanthellae provide 60 percent of food to coral
animals, as a
of which they dne
because they cannot get food through i e r
animals internally while coral animals
get re- feeding. This is why generally corals are not
maining 40 found in the vicinity of the mouths of major rivers
percent food externally by capturing
their prey (small zooplanktons) through their because big rivers dump huge quantity of eroded
tentacles. Since the sediments from the continents in the seas and
Stinging
with
sunlight decreases
hence turbidity of seawater increases enor
increasing depth of seawater, the depth
becomes a imiting factor for the growth of coral mousiy.
polyps. It is to be noted that sunlight cannot
the
penetrate
zone
beyond depth of 200 meters. The
of sunlight from the sea level to 200
Flux of Fresh Water
m depth
is called photic zone. Thus, only upper part of
photic zone is suitable for coral polyps to thrive. It may be mentioned that though coral
Turbidity of seawater means cloudiness of Ocean curents and sea waves are favour-
able for coral polyps
water caused by the presence of suspended
materials oforganic and inorganic origin. So, it is
because they bring necessary
1000 Suppiy 1o tne symb1otic zooxanthellae algae
326 OCEANOGRAPHY
wi are embeded in he outer tissues of coral temperature causes bleaching in ne corals wherein
St1s to be remembered that these the corals lose their embeded aigae and become
white in colour. This process is called coral
symbiotic algae manufacture food
through pho
tOsynthesis and
provide 60 Since of tood
percentocean bleaching, Which causes death to corals. Accordin
Tequirement of coral animals. cur to Clive Wilkinson ot tne Global Coral Reef
COral
with them, the Monitoring (GCRMN)
Network bleaching
ents and sca waves bring nutrients nutrients has occurred at large scale off the co0asts of West
these
ynolonc zOOxanthellae algac
use
Asia, East Africa, South, Southeast and East Asia,
and supply them to the coral polyps. It is, thus,
that grow in opean seas and oceans in the Indian Ocean, east Pacine, ne aribbean
0oviousthere
where corals
is ample wave energy but they die in Sea and the Atlantic Ocean (19y8). ACCOrding to
him the Indian Ocean 1s the most adversely
lagoonsand small enclosed seas because of lack
Or Supply ot nutrients and food supply. Curents aftfected region wherein 'more than 70 per cent
the
coasts of
and waves also determine the shapes of coral mortality has been observed oit
High
reets. sea waves also damage coral
energy Kenya, the Maldives, the Andamans and the
islands. The studies have shown
reefs by eroding them. Lakshwadeep
that coral bleaching begins when the temperature
Human Factor
Besides global warming, human activities at
local to regional levels such as pollution of
Human economic activities Viz. deforestation,
a ater through excess flux of sediments
1ndustrialization etc. causing global warming ad. and nutrients, industrial efluents, urban wastes,
versely atfect corals in their habitats. Corals are sewage; over fishing clearance of maritime forest
more susceptible to long-term climatic change.
and tillhng of wetlands; mining of coral rocks;
Corals are generally termed as rain forests of the
collection of rare species of corals etc. cause fatal
oceans. These cannot
survive in extreme warm
environment. The scientists claim that about 10 diseases to corals. Recent studies have shown that
percent of the corals have died and become 8 per cent of the world's coral reefs are
threatened by human activities (Down to Earth,
skeletons due to global warming caused by
1999).
anthropogenic 1actors mainly industrialization.
According to report published in Dovwn to Earth
ummary of Conditlons for Coral Growth
(August 15, 1999) 30 per cent of corals are in
critical condition and a further 30 per cent are
under severe environmental stress. According to The following conditions are required for
the report of the United Nations Inter-Goven- the survival and growth of coral polyps
ment Panel on Climate Change (IPCc) 'If the >Corals are temperature-sensitive. They
projected levels of climate change are not
cannot thrive in either cold or very warm
stopped, the doom may be just 30 years away
(Down to Earth, August l15, 1999). The increase in sea temperature. Corals can grow in a
CORAL REEFS
327
temperature range of 200C and 30°C
temperature means temperature of (here 13.4 CORAL ECOLOGY
dioxide, meth-
provides food animals which in turn
greenhouse gases (carbon
and resultant
provide nutrients to zooxanthellae algae. This is
the reason that corals survive in tropical seas
ane, nitrogenoxides etc.)
results in m a s s deaths of where nutrients are not plenty. Coral animals get
global warming,
remaining40 percent of total food requirement by
coral polyps.
328 OCEANOGRAPHY
capluring liny zooplanktons through their sting- water, from illuminated (through sunlight) water
ing tentacles. The total biomass of a coral animal to dark water etc. Thus, ahematypic corals are
consists of two third of algae biomass and only found from warm tropical ocean water to cold
polar water, and from shallow seas to deep seas,
one third of animal biomass.
(2) Ahermatype corals do not live in groups The coral animals are adapted to varying
locations of coral reets which consist of several
rather they live in isolation because they are
morphological features as follows (fig. 13.1):
solitary by habit. This is why ahermatypic corals
do not build colonies. They are not confined to a
1. algae ridge
particular localities of certain environmental
2. buttress zone
conditions. This is why ahermatypic corals are
3. reef face
found throughout world oceans in varying envi-
ronmental conditions. They are found from 4. reef terrace
shallow water to deep water, warm water to cold 5. patch reef
Reef Terrace Algal Ridge
Lagoon Sea Level
Land
Patch Reet
Deposits of dead Massive Corals
orals as Limestone
Branctingordls
Fan Corals
Continental
Bedrock
corals associated with them.
coral reefs and dijerent types of
Fig. 13.1: Morphological features of
furrow. It is, thus,
reef idges are separated by a
of3 major
Vertically, the coral reefs consist evident that buttress zone represents undulating
downward e.g. (1)
morphological zones from top features characterized by alternating
buttress zone, and reef face.
(3) topographic Such irregular
algae ridge, (2) faces ridges and furrows of channels.
wave
algae, of disrupts
The algae ridge, composed mostly and undulating topography
also
These algae
the fury of sea waves, say surf surges.
energy.
reefs absorb most of the energy of surging
waves
is reef face which extends
and save the The third zone
and thus weaken the pounding waves
hence there are
no
erosion. The second morphologi- downward to greater depth and
reefs from wave
cannot grow beyond 8u
z o n e which consists of polyps
because
cal zone is called buttress Corals toward the
landward
and furrows i.e. two is reef terrace
aepth. There
numerous alternating ridges
oCEANOGRAPH
28
their sting
water, from illuminated (through sunlight
capturing tiny
zooplanktons through
to dark
a t e r etc. Ihus, ahematypic coate
coral animal
total biomass of a warm
ropical ocean water toe
ing tentacles. The and only found from Cold
of third of algae biomass from shallow seas to
consists two
biomass.
polar water, and deep seas,
third of animal
The coral animals are adapted to ary
one
in groupsS
of coral reefs which consist of seg
not live
(2) Ahermatype corals do locations
isolation because they arc
rather they live in
morphological
features as 1oilows (fig. 13.1).
This is why ahermatypic corals
solitary by habit.
do not build colonies. They are not confined to a 1. algae ridge
localities of certain environmental 2. buttresS zone
particular
conditions. This is why ahermatypic corals are
3. reef face
found throughout world oceans in varying
envl-
ronmental conditions. They
found from are 4. reef terrace
shallow ater to deep water, warm water to cold S. patch reef
Reef Terrace Algal F dge
Lagoon Sea Level
Land
A Palch Reef
Deposits of dead Coralsg
Corals as Limestone
Corals
Corals
Continental
Bedrock
Reer
ace
Fig. 13.1: Morphological features of coral refs and diferent types of corals associated with them
Vertically, the coral reefs consist of'3 major reef ridges are separated by a furrow. It is, thus,
morphological zones from top dowaward e.g. (1) Vi der nat buttress zone represents undulating
algae ridge, (2) buttress zone, and (3) reef face. topographic features characterized by alternating
The algae ridge, composed mostly of algae, faces ridges and furrows of channels. Such irregular
the fury and undulating topography also disrupts wave
of sea waves, say surf surges. These algae
reefs absorb most of the energy of surging waves
and thus weaken the pounding waves and save the
energy
The third zone is reef face which extends
reefs from wave erosion. The second
morphologi
cal zone is called buttress zone which consists of
downward to and hence there
greater depth
numerous alternating ridges and furrows i.e. two 80 u
corals because polyps cannot grow beyonddward
depth. There is reef terrace toward the
329
CORAL REEFS
North
Americe Atlantic 30"N-
30N 20"C-
20' nalaTropic o
ropic of Cancer frica cancer
Pacific Ocean
P E q u a t o **-**********
Ocean
****
South T * * * *
South Indian
Qua
Ocean
America 2 0
Tropic of Capricorn-
Tropicof
papncom -20°C- 305-
30*S 20"C
Australia
Coral reefs 60'S
60'S
Antarcic Cirde
Antarctic Cirçle
Antarctica
30 W 30°E 60E 90°E 120E
120°E 150"E 180 150'W 120W 590°VW 60W
L-