Benefits of Coral Reefs

Source: http://www.iyor.org/reefs/benefits.asp

Coral reefs are often called the rainforests of the sea, both due to the vast amount of species they harbour, and to the high productivity they yield. Aside from the hundreds of species of coral, reefs support extraordinary biodiversity and are home to a multitude of different types of fish, invertebrates and sea mammals. Covering less than one percent of the ocean floor, reefs support an estimated twenty-five percent of all marine life, with over 4,000 species of fish alone. Reefs provide spawning, nursery, refuge and feeding areas for a large variety of organisms, including sponges, cnidarians, worms, crustaceans (including shrimp, spiny lobsters and crabs), molluscs (including cephalopods), echinoderms (including starfish, sea urchins and sea cucumbers), sea squirts, sea turtles and sea snakes.

Reef structures play an important role as natural breakwaters, which minimize wave impacts from storms such as cyclones, hurricanes or typhoons.

Also, their beauty makes coral reefs a powerful attraction for tourism, and well managed tourism provides a sustainable means of earning foreign currency and employment for people around the world, even in remote areas of developing countries.

In summary, healthy coral reefs provide:

Habitat: Home to over 1 million diverse aquatic species, including thousands of fish species
Income: Billions of dollars and millions of jobs in over 100 countries around the world
Food: For people living near coral reefs, especially on small islands
Protection: A natural barrier protecting coastal cities, communities and beaches
Medicine: The potential for treatments for many of the world's most prevalent and dangerous illnesses and diseases.