Another well-known coral reef is
found in the Florida Keys off the
coast of the southern United States.
Many animals, such as snapper
fish and spiny lobsters, depend on
this ecosystem. It gives them food,
shelter, and a place to reproduce.
Many reefs around the world are
suffering. One of the main reasons
is bleaching. This is the loss of
algae that live in coral. Algae give
coral some of their nutrition. Rising
water temperatures cause coral to
lose their algae. They turn white.
Bleached coral is more prone to
disease. In 2016, the Great Barrier
Reef lost one-third of its coral to
bleaching. Pollution is also harming
many coral ecosystems around
the world.
1,500
Number of fish species in
the Great Barrier Reef.
• Coral reef ecosystems are
made up of animals with
rocklike skeletons.
• Australia’s Great Barrier
Reef is so large it can be
seen from space.
• Corals living on reefs
around the world
are struggling due
to climate change
and pollution.
Sea fans
are a type of
soft coral.
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