Is it an animal or a plant? Learn more about corals in one article~

coral

We are familiar and strange

It is sometimes a decoration in the living room

Sometimes it is a "coral block" picked up on the beach

Sometimes in the aquarium

Colorful fantasy world

Corals are rich in color and various in shape

Some people think that coral

Like bushes, trees, and a sea of ​​flowers

It should be a plant

Someone has picked up "corals" on the beach.

Hard texture

I think it should be stone

Is coral an animal, a plant, or a rock?

Let’s learn more about it

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Corals are animals, from the same family as jellyfish

Corals are made of seafloor organisms——

Aggregates of coral polyps

So to be precise

Corals are animals

They catch food with the tentacles on their heads.

Classification

From the same family as jellyfish

Coral polyps are coelenterates

The individual is very small

Living in groups for generations

Strictly speaking

Coral is an aggregate of coral polyps

Can all corals turn into coral reefs?
Not really

According to whether hard reefs can be formed

Corals are divided into two categories: reef-building and non-reef-building.

Coral polyps

Can absorb calcium and carbonate ions from seawater

Synthetic calcium carbonate

This is the "skeleton" that supports its shape.

It's just that its "skeleton" grows outside the body——

On the corals picked up at the beach

Full of small holes

Coral polyps spend their entire lives in holes

After death, its body decomposes

Skeletons turn into reefs

It also forms the foundation for new coral polyps.

Cycle

After tens of thousands of years of accumulation

It can grow into a coral reef on the seabed

When the geology changes

Undersea reefs rise above the sea surface

Coral reef islands will be formed

World famous tourist destination

Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia

That's the piece.

Mixed with corals, shells, etc.

Huge reef of marine debris

Non-reef-building corals

Calcium carbonate skeleton

But it's too small

When coral polyps die, their carcasses separate and dissipate.

Nothing will be left

Where does coral get its color?

1. Ingredients from coral: Zooxanthellae

Reef-building corals usually live near the coast.

Almost transparent body

Its ingredients:

Zooxanthellae have their own color

After being eaten by coral polyps

Zooxanthellae remain inside the coral polyps

Become its "tenant"

Spend some quality time together

The color of zooxanthellae

Also seen on reef-building corals

So, the corals we see offshore

Mostly yellowish brown

2. From chromoproteins and fluorescent proteins

Except yellowish brown

Other brilliant colors come from

Chromoproteins and fluorescent proteins in corals

Red, pink, blue, purple

Even has its own fluorescent effect

Can corals be "planted"? Corals can reproduce sexually or asexually

Sexual reproduction is for the purpose of establishing new territories

Asexual reproduction is for expanding territory

Corals will grow small buds

Or separate new individuals

This makes it possible to "grow" coral artificially

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What is the use of protecting corals and coral reefs?

Coral reefs protect coastlines

Helps maintain seafloor biodiversity

A single coral reef can support up to 400 species of fish

Species of organisms living in coral reefs

As many as tens of thousands

Formed an "underwater tropical rainforest"

Coral beautiful dream

In our country, most of them are protected by law

It is illegal to steal, buy, sell or damage them privately.

Protect the environment and protect corals

Build a beautiful home together~

Content source: "Bowu" magazine, "Walking Coastline", "Man and Nature", Baidu Encyclopedia, etc.

Editors of this issue | Ren Liang, Wang Yexuan (internship)