Posted by alexandra_k on February 18, 2005, at 0:13:10
In reply to Re: I:A/M » alexandra_k, posted by Dinah on February 18, 2005, at 0:07:36
Does this help???
>a coral colony can be thought of as an apartment building with many different rooms and hallways that house different marine species. Not all coral species build reefs. The actual architects of coral reefs are hard or stony corals, which are referred to as hermatypic or reef-building corals. As the polyps of stony corals grow, they produce limestone for their skeletons. When they die, their skeletons are left behind and are used as foundations for new polyps, which build new skeletons over the old ones. An actual coral mound or tree is composed of layer upon layer of skeletons covered by a thin layer of living polyps.
>Hard and soft coral, as well as sponges and clams, make up the structure of a coral reef.
>Other types of animals and plants also contribute to the structure of the reef. Many types of algae, seaweed, sponge, sediment and even mollusks like giant clams and oysters, add to the architecture of a coral reef. When these organisms die, they also serve as foundations for new corals.
http://www.coralreef.org/coralreefinfo/about.html
Just whenever you feel up to it.
(((Dinah))))
I really want to try to understand.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:458017
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20050128/msgs/459691.html