Coral reefs are the most biodiverse marine ecosystems; they supply food and shelter for almost one quarter of all marine life (The Ocean Portal Team & Knowlton, 2015). Coral reefs are formed by millions of small coral polyps, which take in excess carbon dioxide in the water and convert it to limestone (MarineBio Conservation Society, 2015). These limestone reefs act as a buffer and defense for shorelines from hurricanes, typhoons, and massive waves. Another significant aspect of coral reefs are their role as a “medicine cabinet”. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2014), “Coral reef plants and animals are important sources of new medicines being developed to treat cancer, arthritis, human bacterial infections, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, viruses, and other diseases.” The significance of the coral reefs is even larger than this – with their role of converting carbon dioxide into limestone, they assist in the world’s oceans to be able to absorb and store more carbon dioxide. The Woods Hole Research Center (2015) states that, “About half of the emissions of CO2 each year remain in the atmosphere; the other half is taken up by the ecosystems on land and the oceans.” Coral reefs are also breathtakingly beautiful which attracts much tourism.
