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Corals

Most corals are made up of hundreds to hundreds of thousands of individual coral polyps. — Most corals are made up of hundreds to hundreds of thousands of individual coral polyps. (Image credit: NOAA)

Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Thousands of species rely on reefs for survival. Millions of people all over the world also depend on coral reefs for food, protection, and jobs.

The tutorial is an overview of the biology of and threats to coral reefs, as well as efforts being made to conserve and protect them. It includes images and animations.

The Roadmap to Resources complements the tutorial. It directs you to specific online coral data and information from NOAA.

Corals Topics

Welcome What are corals? What is Zooxanthellae? How do corals grow? How do coral reefs form? Where are corals found? How do corals reproduce? Why are coral reefs important? What are the major threats to corals? - Climate change - Pollution - Diseases - Fishing impacts What are the other threats to corals? Protecting corals - Laws and partnerships Protecting corals - Protected places Restoring corals

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Roadmap to resources References Acknowledgements

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Last updated:

12/12/24

Author: NOAA

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