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| ASIAN
GEOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENTS |
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Ocean |
| The Coral Reef Primer |
| Coral reefs are living, breathing organisms that are the foundation for all life beneath the water |
| text & photos
Simon Buxton |
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| For many people, the coral reef is a simple structure seen while walking the beach at low tide or snorkelling just offshore. They see a vast array of life, from hard corals, soft corals, sponges, anemones, small reef fish, algae or sea grasses and, if lucky, an octopus or starfish. These organisms play an important role in the coral reef ecosystem and are key to its survival. But the reef is far from simple. |
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In Southeast Asia, the "Coral Triangle" - bounded by Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines - is the area containing the highest marine biodiversity on the planet. The epicentre of this area is the Raja Ampat region of Indonesia. In 2006, scientists documented in one location over 1,200 species of fish and over 600 species of coral. The coral reef is city, state, and country for all life in the oceans.
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