Coral Reefs

Census of Coral Reefs (CReefs)

Coral Reefs are extremely rich areas of marine biodiversity that are sometimes called the "rainforests of the sea." One small patch of reef can be home to many thousands of species of animals such as fish, anemones, snails, sea urchins and sponges, as well as corals. Generally, reefs only grow in fairly warm tropical waters where there is plenty of sunlight for the growth of stony, reef-building, corals and the small symbiotic algae (called zooxanthellae) that live inside their tissue. This association is what allows some types of corals to grow so large that they become the foundation for the reef ecosystem. Not all corals are stony; some are entirely soft bodied and can grow in large clumps, while others grow in the shape of huge fans that filter small particles of food, such as phytoplankton, out of the water current. Census researchers have also been discovering large numbers of unusual corals in deep ocean waters, on mid-ocean ridges, and on seamounts. The Census of Coral Reefs is undertaking a global survey of these critical and endangered habitats, with the hope of establishing a network of reef researchers and developing a comprehensive catalog of reef biodiversity as well as a better understanding of the threats to that diversity.

Abundant and colorful marine life can be found on coral reefs, such as this red and gold nudibranch, Phestilla melanobrachia, crawling on a small colony of the coral Tubastrea coccinea in Guam. (Gustav Paulay, FLMNH, Census of Coral Reefs, CReefs)

• View CReefs In Depth from the Census of Marine Life Portal
• Visit CReefs Website (under construction)
• See CReefs research techniques and technology:
• Research Vessels
• Planes and Helicopters
• High Definition Video
• Microscopes
• Hand Collection
• Traps
• Traditional Identification Methods