Glossary

coral reef

Erosion-resistant aquatic structure formed from living corals, their rock-like skeletal secretions and calcium carbonate deposits from other organisms such as calcareous algae, molluscs, and protozoans.

Related terms

algae
A large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms and including seaweeds, diatoms, and Spirogyra. They're photosynthetic, like plants, and the majority are aquatic.
calcareous
Composed of, containing, or characteristic of calcium carbonate, calcium, or limestone; chalky.
coral
Any marine animal of the class Anthozoa, these being characterised by possessing a horny or calcareous skeleton, aggregations of which form coral reefs and islands.
mollusc
Any member of the invertebrate phylum Mollusca.
protozoan
Any member of a diverse group of unicellular eukaryotic organisms including amoebas, ciliates, flagellates, and sporozoans. Also spelled protozoon.

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