Benefits of Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are prominent features of the ocean that are made of hard skeletons produced by living coral animals. They are usually found along the edges of submerged or shallow ocean banks. Common in warm subtropical and tropical oceans, coral reefs are rich sources of marine life. They can contain about 3500 species of corals, shellfish and fish. Learn the benefits of coral reefs further below.
1. Tourism
The beauty of coral reefs makes them a huge attraction for tourists throughout the globe. A well-planned tourist sector provides a good place of getting foreign currency as well as employment for the locals. This is more visible in remote regions of developing nations.
2. Purifies air
Coral reefs are home to very many species of fish and thus they assist to eliminate most of the carbon dioxide from the air. In fact, oceans offer close to 75% of the earth’s clean air. This is due to huge numbers of living organisms present in the ocean, with a majority of life present in coral reefs.
3. Beach protection
The other vital advantage of coral reefs is that they serve like a protection against harsh ocean weaves. Actually, without the existence of these reefs, many buildings along beaches would be vulnerable to storms and wave action. This natural barrier thus helps to save lives and properties from destruction.
4. Medicinal benefits
Coral reefs possess various animals and plants that contain medicinal compounds. Several drugs have been developed already from chemicals present in organisms found in coral reefs. Distinctive compounds from these reefs have provided treatments for ulcers, skin cancer and heart ailments. Furthermore, many cancer drug studies have been done using coral organisms.
Because of the many advantages coral reefs offer, it is imperative that they are protected. There are no drawbacks linked to coral reefs either.
