According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, coral reefs are one of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on earth. Reefs support more species per unit area than any other marine environment.
Coral reefs support approximately 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard corals and hundreds of other species. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, scientists estimate that there are possibly one to eight million undiscovered species of organisms that live in and around coral reefs.
A number of drugs are developed from coral reef plants and animals as potential cures for cancer, arthritis, human bacterial infections, viruses and other diseases. Coral reefs act as a buffer to protect shorelines from wave action, erosion, property damage and loss of life.Learn More
Biotic factors are living organisms in an ecosystem, such as animals and plants. Abiotic factors are non-living physical and chemical elements in an ecosystem, and they can have a major influence on living organisms. Examples of abiotic factors are sunlight, oxygen, water, minerals and soil.Full Answer >
High biodiversity improves an ecosystem by making it less susceptible to disaster and increasing plant reproduction rates. All the species in an ecosystem rely on one another in some way, and with less biodiversity, the ecosystem is more vulnerable to collapse.Full Answer >
An ecosystem is made up of biotic and abiotic components which include plants, animals and the environment in which they are found. The living or biotic components are made up of producers, consumers and decomposers. Some of the non-living or abiotic components include sunlight, temperature, water and soil.Full Answer >
The main parts of an ecosystem are soil, water, heat from the sun, sunlight, the atmosphere and living organisms. An ecosystem is a community of non-living and living things that work together.Full Answer >