Coral Polyps

Coral polyps are tiny animals that secrete calcium carbonate skeletons. Over time, these skeletons accumulate into coral reefs - the most diverse marine ecosystems on Earth. The reef structure creates habitat for thousands of fish species, invertebrates, algae, and microorganisms. Coral represents perhaps 10% of reef biomass, but the structure it creates supports the remaining 90%. Remove the coral, and over years to decades the ecosystem loses up to 75% of species diversity.