Why are coral reefs home to a huge diverse variety of species?

Around coral reefs, lagoons fill in with materials eroded from the reef and the island. They become a haven for marine life, providing protection from waves and storms. Most importantly, reefs recycle nutrients , which happens much less in the open ocean.

The coral reefs also support many symbiotic relationships. Fringing reefs have a mutually beneficial relationship with mangrove forests and sea grass meadows. They are home to a large variety of animals including fish, seabirds, sponges, cnidarians, worms, crustaceans, and molluscs. A few of these varied species feed directly on corals, while others graze on algae on the reef.

The same hideouts in a reef may be regularly inhabited by different species at different times of the day. Night time predators such as cardinal fish and squirrel fish hide during the day, while damsel fish and surgeon fish hide from eels and sharks. Over 4,000 species of fish inhabit coral reefs . However, the reason for this huge diversity remains unclear.

Reef biomass is positively related to species diversity.

Coral reefs support a vast array of species diversity due to their complex and diverse habitats, which provide food, shelter, and breeding grounds for a wide range of marine organisms.