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Article: Corals and Coral Reefs
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- Water:Science and Issues
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Corals and Coral Reefs
A coral reef is a structure in the sea constructed by coral skeletons and limestone debris that remains in place after the plant or animal dies. The structure is geological, the communities include plants and animals, and they are controlled by meteorological and oceanographic conditions.
Distribution and Roles of Coral Reefs
Coral reefs include shallow-water tropical reefs, such as the Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia, and deep-water reefs, such as Sula Bank off Norway. Tropical reef diversity (the number of different plants and animals) is high, with complexity similar to tropical rain forests.
Natural and Human Values.
Coral reefs function ...