Coral reefs

Coral reefs

Coral reefs are structures formed from the calcium carbonate secretions of corals. They are colonies of tiny animals in marine areas containing few nutrients.

Industry: Natural environment

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Coral reefs

Microatoll

Natural environment; Coral reefs

A circular colonial corallum up to 1 m height and 4 m diameter. Growth is mainly lateral, as upward growth is limited by aerial exposure.

Decapod crustacean

Natural environment; Coral reefs

A members of the Order Decapoda, Class Malacostraca, Superclass Crustacea, Phylum Arthropoda; has five pairs of thoracic legs. Examples are shrimps, lobsters, crabs, and hermit crabs.

Carotene

Natural environment; Coral reefs

A red, orange, or yellow pigment belonging to the group of carotenoids; a precursor of vitamin A.

Mitochondrion

Natural environment; Coral reefs

An organelle found in the cells of most eukaryotes. Mitochondria are sometimes described as cellular "power plants" because their primary function is to manufacture adenosine triphosphate (ATP), ...

Characterised by reproducing by the fusion of gametes that differ only in size, as opposed to gametes that are produced by oogamous species. Gametes of oogamous species, such as egg and sperm cells, ...

Numerical taxonomy

Natural environment; Coral reefs

Study of the relationships of taxa by the application of numerical similarity values to characters so as to rank into categories based on degree of overall similarity.

Extinction

Natural environment; Coral reefs

The evolutionary termination of a species caused by the failure to reproduce and the death of all remaining members of the species; the natural failure to adapt to environmental change.