# data[].attributes.body
Abiotic components of the reef include, substrate, (which is often sandy but can also be large rocks) salinity, (which the corals have preferences of) PH (which, if to acidic can lead to coral dissolution) temperature, (which determines if the area is a good spot for a coral reef to form) Tides, (which may leave the reef exposed above water for an extended period of time, which is why some reefs have flat tops, as the water recedes, coral that is too high dies off, causing the coral to not grow that high in the future.) and finally, space, which corals are constantly competing for on the reef, which leads to a hierarchy of corals at certain reefs and certain corals at other reefs.

# data[].attributes.body
The coral reef starts with symbiotic zooxanthellae, which help the corals create their calcium carbonate skeletons. Zooxanthellae use photosynthesis and pass some organic matter to coral. Algae is essential to the growth and development of the outer reef. For example, encrusting coralline algae provide protection from waves and other factors that could cause the reef to wash away. Coralline algae also distributes large amounts of calcium carbonate to help the reef grow. Due to organisms like sponges and clams, coral reefs have the highest rate of nitrogen fixation, because most organisms in coral reefs recycle nutrients. The crown of thorns sea star is a large predator of coral, which plays a role on the entire ecosystem. Crown of Thorns sea star pushes its mouth out of its stomach and digests the coral completely. Without the coral, all the organisms relying on it would die, and there would be an over population of starfish.

# data[].attributes.body
A unique characteristic of this ecosystem is that Coral reefs are divided into three main categories: Fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls. Fringing reefs are the most common type of coral reef grow near the coastline of continents and islands. Fringing reefs are Barrier reefs a coral reef running parallel to the shore but separated from it by a channel of deep water.

# data[].attributes.body
calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
corals
cnidarians
polyps
hermatypic
scleractinian corals
zooxanthellae
ahermatypic
planula
metamorphasis
dissolved organic matter (DOM)
coralline algae
algal ridge
bryozoans
biogenous
coral rubble
Halimeda
forams
Aristotle's Lantern
bioerosion
El Niño
carbon dioxide
eutrophication
fringing reefs
barrier reefs
atolls
reef flat
reef slope
reef crest
lagoon
back-reef slope
reef flat
fore-reef slope
patch reefs
coral knolls
pinnacles
sand cays ("keys" in the U.S.)
spur-and-groove formations
buttresses
Indo-West Pacific region
trade winds belt
windward side
leeward side
primary producers
nitrogen
phosphorous
nitrogen fixation
turf algae
sweeper tentacles
spicules
pre-settlement
post-settlement
competitive exclusion
ecological niche
crown-of-thorns sea star
tube feet
microherbivores
chitons
facultative & obligate symbionts

# data[].attributes.body
Corals can only grow in shallow waters because the zooxanthellae depend on light to do their job. A limiting factor for Coral is sunlight. Because Corals are sessile, they must have the ability to out grow other organisms in order to receive sunlight. For example, fast growing coral develop long tentacles called sweeper tentacles, that sting organisms around it to create more room for itself. Coral also need space to grow, therefore if the population of their habitat grows too much some of them will be out competed for space.

# data[].attributes.body
Coral reefs have very little phytoplankton (limiting factor) which is a primary producer, meaning reefs tend to be in clear, shallow water to receive sunlight. However, they do have seaweed and turf algae to act as important primary producers. Corals contain zooxanthellae (which provides their vibrant color) to perform photosynthesis and nourish the coral from the inside out (prodcuers). Zooxanthellae receive large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous (nutrients are recycled). Reefs are often covered in algae, forming an algal ridge. Some invertebrates (like sponges and bryozoans) inhabit reefs, many of which perform bioerosion to break down CaCO3 buildup and create sediments for nutrients (decomposers). Sea urchins use their Aristotle's Lantern to scrub off algae on the reef, and other microherbivores (like snails, chitons, etc.) eat algae (consumers). Coral prey on zooplankton, and polyps use either tentacles, or sheets of mucus (gathered into strings by cilia and brought to mouth) in order to capture them (consumers). Some species, like the crown-of-thorns sea star, use their spikes to pinch and bite at the tube feet of other sea stars to eliminate competition (competitive exclusion; consumers). Reefs host many facultative and obligate symbionts, especially crustaceans, like crabs and anemonefish, which help protect the reef from larger predators such as nurse sharks (consumers).

# data[].attributes.body
The Coral Reef is located in tropical warm waters around the equator of the earth.  Around 92% of the world's coral reefs are located in the Indo-Pacific region. Coral reefs cover about over 175,000 square miles of the earth's surface. There are not too many coral reefs on the west coasts of America and Africa because of upwelling and cold currents. The Coral Reef is a very diverse place with  sets of animals of all types living in the surrounding area or in the coral reef itself.

# data[].attributes.body
The Coral Reef offers many diverse zones and habitats, covering much of the area, starting at the edge of the tidal zone and sometimes going all the way out into the deeper sloped region of the shore.
The zones range from the Lagoon, which is a pool of water protected from big waves by the reef, the back reef slope, which rises the reef out from the lagoon, the reef flat, with makes up the middle of the reef and is the most populos zone of the reef.  Following this is the crest, which is a slight rise, which protects the reef from large waves- directly after this is the reef slope, which drops off to the start of the continental slope.

If you thought the coral reefs zones were interesting, wait to you hear about the habitats which occupy these zones!
The animals that make up coral, zooxanthellae, live in a band of warm, tropical water which stretches around the center of the earth.  This band is refered to as the tropics and provides the perfect habitat for these small animals, allowing them to build large coral colonies.
Starting in the lagoon, and heading toward the sea, the first major habitat we come across is flt, which extends much of the reef and contains most of its life.  This area is home to many corals as well as many fish, such as the chevron butterfly fish.
The edge also has an interesting habitat, which supports many larger, more predatory fish as well as corals, and often has visiting deeper sea fish, such as barracuda.