Coral Reef

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…found in the warm, clear, shallow waters of tropical oceans worldwide. Reefs have functions ranging from providing food and shelter to fish and invertebrates to protecting the shore from erosion. Through symbiosis with unicellular algae (zooxanthellae), reef-building corals are the source of primary production in reef communities. Unfortunately, as our understanding of corals and coral reefs increases, it becomes apparent that the effects of the human population on these communities may be increasing as well.