Coral reefs are built by colonies of tiny animals found in marine waters, most coral reefs are made with stony corals ,which are clusters of polypus. Coral reefs form some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth. They occupy less than 0.1% of the world's ocean surface, yet they provide a home for at least 25% of all marine species.
Spatial Distribution
Coral Reefs are located in tropical seas in between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. They are found in all three of the earths oceans that have portions in the tropics, the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian.
Biotic Processes
Biotic processes has a significant influence on coral reefs. The vibrant and diverse eco-system can be distinguished by the large limestone structures known as coral. Coral provides a shelter, a hiding place and as a reliable resource of food for the marine life residing in a coral reef. As a coral reef is a securely interconnected ecosystem, damage to a part of a coral reef will therefore affect the entire ecosystem.
Reef Types
There are three different types of reefs, Barrier Reef, Atol Reef and Fringing Reef. Barrier reefs are coral reefs parallel to the shore but is separated by a chanel of water. An Atol reef is a ring-shaped coral reef, consisting of a coral rim and a Fringing reef is a reef that lies close to the shore.