What is the significance of coral reefs

They help protect areas such as mangrove forests and seagrass beds that act as nurseries for marine animals, as well as human coastal populations. Extracts from animals and plants living on reefs have been used to develop treatments for asthma, arthritis, cancer and heart disease. Explore the risks facing coral reefs. Smart cookie preferences. Change cookie preferences Accept all cookies.

Since only an infinitesimal portion of reef organisms have been sampled, analyzed and tested, the potential for new pharmaceutical discoveries is enormous. Why are corals so important? Find out more. Coastal protection Reefs occupy only a tiny part of the seabed: less than 0. A food resource More than million people live within 10 kilometers of a coastline and less than 30 kilometers from reefs.

Of economic importance As a result of direct revenues from fishing, reefs provide a resource and services that are worth billions of dollars each year. A medical future Deprived to a very large extent of any possibility of movement, corals have developed an arsenal of very effective chemical weapons to defend themselves and fight in the conquest of reef space.

We use cookies to collect information about how you interact with our website and allow us to remember you. To find out more about the cookies we use, see our privacy policy. Reject all Accept all. Manage consent. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. For coral reefs, these ecosystem services include fish production, shoreline protection, and opportunities for tourism and recreation.

The opens in a new window Millennium Ecosystem Assessment analyzed the consequences of ecosystem change for human wellbeing, and identified four categories of ecosystem services:.

The economic value associated with ecosystem services can be derived in a number of ways, including estimated costs of replacing particular services with alternatives, such as installing a breakwater to replace coastal ecosystems that offered shoreline protection in the past. On-going efforts to assign economic value to nature are revealing new opportunities to manage our environment for more sustainable use and longer-term prosperity.

Below are a few key points about the economic value of coral reefs:. Join Our Network. Value of Reefs. Importance of Coral Reef Ecosystems The information presented in the following tabs below may be useful when speaking with different stakeholder groups to highlight the importance of coral reefs and motivate actions to protect these ecosystems. Coral reefs are among the oldest ecosystems on Earth.