Welcome to "The those who have had the good fortune to view our
planet from space, they are struck by the overwhelming
impression that ours is a blue planet. Indeed over 70% of our
planet is covered by water giving our home this blue aura. On
closer inspection, patches of emerald and aquamarine become
apparent in the larger expanse of deep blue. These patches are
in the shallow waters of the tropics, fringing islands the edges
of continents; or, in turn, encircled by the ring-like islands
that we call atolls. Coming ever closer to Earth and approaching
these oceanic jewels, a border of white is perceived which is
revealed to be surf crashing against what appears to be a solid
bastion of rock. Leaving our vantage point from above and diving
into the sea, we discover that what we is solid rock is in fact
a living mass - a kaleidoscopic vision of color, shape, and life
that is a coral reef. Coral reefs are among the most amazing of
ecosystems on our planet. Although found as solitary forms
through 400 million ye