Tropical Coral Reef
The coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific support a diverse number of marine organisms,
perhaps almost ten percent more species than found in the Caribbean. This is
due at least in part to the geologic age of the reefs, in which there has been
more time for evolution to occur. For example, the Indo-Pacific supports approximately
500 species of reef building corals, whereas the Caribbean only supports about
50.
Coral reefs all over the world, however, are under stress, with more than 90 nations reporting coral reefs in trouble. Human pressures, from population growth and coastal development, make it difficult for reefs to recover from storms, diseases, and other natural stresses threatening the ocean planet on which we all live.
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