Corals: underwater cities

2001/01/03 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Biologia
• Ozeanografia

Reefs are underwater cities built over thousands of years with calcium carbonate, formed by communities of organisms that produce calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is the skeleton of these beings. Skeletons form rigid structures that support waves: reefs. When the main component of reefs are corals and some species of algae, reefs are called coral reefs.

The addition of calcium carbonate to the basic structure makes the coral skeleton increase and this larger skeleton becomes a residence for new living beings that generate more calcium carbonates. In adequate conditions and with sufficient time, some coral structures may become larger than the adult person. Some do not reach the annual centimeter of growth speed, others can grow up to 10 centimeters in a year.