How Valuable Coral reefs and Mangroves Are

Coral Reef

          When I was still a child, as I was feeding the fishes I noticed a picture inside our aquarium and thought it was just a colorful background to make the aquarium more beautiful. But suddenly, I noticed that the fishes were more fascinated on it so I asked my mother what is in that picture and she said that it was a “coral reef” where fishes live and where they lay there offspring.

Google.com

            Coral reefs are one of the most intricate and vibrant stifling ecosystems in the sea. They are organisms which build huge and complex physical structures that serve as home to the fishes and other life forms under the sea. Even though corals are frequently mistakenly identified as a rock or a plant, it is actually composed of small, brittle animals called coral polyps. When we say "coral" we are actually referring to these animals and the skeletons they leave behind after they die.

         

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            Coral reefs are the "Rainforests" of the ocean. Reefs are ecologically important ecosystems and have a high biodiversity that serves as a storage bank of rich genetic resources. They are a source of food and medicine, and they protect the coast from wave erosion. They are marine animals related to jellyfish and anemones. Both colonial and solitary corals catch plankton (microscopic plants and animals) and other suspended food particles with arm-like tentacles, which feed a centrally located mouth. Most hard corals also host symbiotic algae, a long-standing and successful partnership. These algae provide them with an additional food source through photosynthesis. Coral reefs are formed by corals that secrete hard calcareous (aragonite) exoskeletons, giving them structural rigidity. These colonial "hard corals" form elaborate finger-shaped, branching, or mound-shaped structures and can create masses of limestone that stretch for tens or even hundreds of miles.  Although corals have a wide distribution in the world's oceans, the varieties that form reefs are typically restricted to relatively shallow, warm tropical waters between latitudes 30 norths and 30 souths. Clean, clear water is essential to their health. Once coral larvae settle on a hard substrate and become established, colonies can arise if conditions are suitable for growth. Given enough time, coral colonies become thickets. As coral thickets build upward on the skeletal remains of older colonies, a reef is established. Today, richly diverse coral reefs are found in the tropics along coastlines, on the margins of volcanic islands, and as isolated coral atolls. (http://www.solcomhouse.com/coralreef.htm)

Facts about Coral Reefs

• Coral reefs are among the oldest ecosystems on Earth.
• Coral reefs are the largest living structure on the planet.
• Although coral reefs cover less than 1% of the Earth's surface, they are home to 25% of all marine fish species.
• 500 million people rely on coral reefs for their food and livelihoods.
• Coral reefs form natural barriers that protect nearby shorelines from the eroding forces of the sea, thereby protecting coastal dwellings, agricultural land and beaches.
• Without the existence of coral reefs, parts of Florida would be under water.
• Coral reefs have been used in the treatment of cancer, HIV, cardiovascular diseases and ulcers.
• Corals' porous limestone skeletons have been used for human bone grafts.
• It is estimated that coral reefs provide $375 billion per year around the world in goods and services.
• If the present rate of destruction continues, 70% of the world's coral reefs will be destroyed by the year 2050.

Source: http://www.solcomhouse.com/coralreef.htm

Google.com

           Corals themselves are tiny animals which belong to the group cnidaria (the "c" is silent). Other cnidarians include hydras, jellyfish, and sea anemones. Corals are sessile animals, meaning they are not mobile but stay fixed in one place. They feed by reaching out with tentacles to catch prey such as small fish and planktonic animals. Corals live in colonies consisting of many individuals, each of which is called polyp. They secrete a hard calcium carbonate skeleton, which serves as a uniform base or substrate for the colony. The skeleton also provides protection, as the polyps can contract into the structure if predators approach. It is these hard skeletal structures that build up coral reefs over time. The calcium carbonate is secreted at the base of the polyps, so the living coral colony occurs at the surface of the skeletal structure, completely covering it. Calcium carbonate is continuously deposited by the living colony, adding to the size of the structure. Growth of these structures varies greatly, depending on the species of coral and environmental conditions-- ranging from 0.3 to 10 centimeters per year. Different species of coral build structures of various sizes and shapes ("brain corals," "fan corals," etc.), creating amazing diversity and complexity in the coral reef ecosystem. Various coral species tend to be segregated into characteristic zones on a reef, separated out by competition with other species and by environmental conditions.

            Virtually all reef-dwelling corals have a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship with algae called zooxanthellae. The plant-like algae live inside the coral polyps and perform photosynthesis, producing food which is shared with the coral. In exchange the coral provides the algae with protection and access to light, which is necessary for photosynthesis. The zooxanthellae also lend their color to their coral symbionts. Coral bleaching occurs when corals lose their zooxanthellae, exposing the white calcium carbonate skeletons of the coral colony. There are a number of stresses or environmental changes that may cause bleaching including disease, excess shade, increased levels of ultraviolet radiation, sedimentation, pollution, salinity changes, and increased temperatures.

            Because the zooxanthellae depend on light for photosynthesis, reef building corals are found in shallow, clear water where light can penetrate down to the coral polyps. Reef building coral communities also require tropical or sub-tropical temperatures, and exist globally in a band 30 degrees north to 30 degrees south of the equator. Reefs are generally classified in three types. Fringing reefs, the most common type, project seaward directly from the shores of islands or continents. Barrier reefs are platforms separated from the adjacent land by a bay or lagoon. The longest barrier reefs occur off the coasts of Australia and Belize. Atolls rest on the tops of submerged volcanoes. They are usually circular or oval with a central lagoon. Parts of the atoll may emerge as islands. Over 300 atolls are found in the south Pacific.

            Coral reefs provide habitats for a large variety of organisms. These organisms rely on corals as a source of food and shelter. Besides the corals themselves and their symbiotic algae, other creatures that call coral reefs home include various sponges; molluscs such as sea slugs, nudibranchs, oysters, and clams; crustaceans like crabs and shrimp; many kinds of sea worms; echinoderms like star fish and sea urchins; other cnidarians such as jellyfish and sea anemones; various types of fungi; sea turtles; and many species of fish.

Source: http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/habitat/coral_index.cfm

 

Source: Vintage PBh-Coral Reefs- Youtube.com

Mangroves

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         Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics  and subtropics – mainly between latitudes 25° N and 25° S. The word is used in at least three senses: (1 ) most broadly to refer to the habitat and entire plant assemblage or mangal, for which the terms mangrove forest biome mangrove swamp and mangrove forest are also used, (2) to refer to all trees and large shrubs in the mangal, and (3) narrowly to refer to the mangrove family of plants, the Rhizophoraceae, or even more specifically just to mangrove trees of the genus Rhizophora.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MangroveTreeMalaccaMalaysia.JPG

 

              Mangroves are tropical trees and shrubs that grow in intertidal areas. They can also refer to the forest communities with their associated microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, algae) and fauna (molluscs, crabs, shrimps, and fish). Because they are exposed to extreme environmental factors of high salinity, alternating water saturation and desiccation, and anaerobic substrates, mangroves have developed coping mechanism such as salt glands on their leaves, varying root structures such as prop roots and pneumatophores, and viviparous (germinating) seeds.

              

               Mangroves are highly productive ecosystems which are not only able to provide a range of valuable forest products, but also maintain estuarine water quality and play crucial roles in the life cycle of many commercially important species of fish and prawns.

  Source: http://mangroveweb.seafdec.org.ph/html/fmangrov.htm

             Mangroves are really big help to maintain the balance of the environment. I once had the experience in planting mangrove trees. It was really fun because I was not only planting with my friends but also I  helped the environment and other aquatic or non-aquatic species build their homes.
           
            The following are the benefits of mangrove trees:

• Products taken from the mangrove ecosystem range from construction materials to reptile skins and honey. Currently, mangroves in developing countries are being harvested and chipped for pulp and particle board on a very large scale by companies from developed countries. In addition, mangroves are used as an important and potentially sustainable source of fuelwood and charcoal to meet the increasing needs of developing countries for domestic fuel. Interest has also arisen in species like Nypa palm, which produces alcohol that can be turned into transport fuel.
   
• Other natural products are harvested from mangroves. Crabs are very common on the mud flats in most mangrove ecosystems and are often a very important subsistence of even commercial food source. In some systems, edible shellfish are supported on the roots and trunks of mangroves.

• These direct uses often sustain communities whose economy is based on harvesting the fish, shellfish, crustaceans, wood and other minor products which may be gathered. The continued viability of these ecosystems and the well- being of these people depend on managing the resource in a sustainable fashion. Locally important industries, providing rural employment, are also base on the mangrove resource.

• On the other hand, mangroves reduce coastal erosion. They serve to dampen storm surges and to a minor extent high winds, both of which are associated with many tropical and subtropical storms. While the mangrove coastal barrier may be battered and damaged in severe storms, it will grow back naturally, without cost to man. No man-made coastal protection barrier is capable of self-repair.

• The mangrove resource, where it occupies flood plains, performs a flood reduction function which may be lost if the area is filled and converted to other uses. Mangroves lining and banks of rivers also help prevent erosion of the riverbanks, which in turn helps protect adjacent property.

• The mangrove area is spawning and nursery area for many marine species of fish. Moreover, the particles of vegetation (detritus) and nutrients exported out of the mangrove ecosystem from the food base of the complex of marine organisms which, in turn, support valuable estuarine and near-shore fisheries (finfish, shellfish and crustaceans). Those whose livelihood depends on fishing have long recognized the interconnection between the mangroves and fisheries, but these values have only slowly been considered in planning processes where decisions on allocations of intertidal land are being made.

          So now that we know how important and how valuable mangroves are, let's help plant not only trees but also more mangroves! Help Mother Earth.! Save Mother Earth!  Don't wait for the time when we will just realize that we can't eat money.