Coral Reefs & Oceans ::The Department of Environment and Coastal Resources::

Many have described the Turks and Caicos Islands as a necklace of sparkling jewels set upon an emerald sea. This vision accurately depicts the island formation that rises from the ocean depths and is ringed with numerous cascades of coral reefs. From the air, these organic forms of architecture appear as underwater buttresses that brace the island chain and up close, a wealth of life can be seen teeming in these gardens of the sea. What is the basis of this unusual environment and how did it come to be? Why is it so important to the community it supports, both above and below the waters edge?

Corals are simple creatures that produce their own homes. Related to sea anemones, their small, soft bodies, called polyps, consist of a mouth and stomach, ringed by tentacles that capture prey for food. Hard corals encase themselves in a calcareous cup, much like living sea shells do, while soft corals generate a more flexible skeleton. A coral head is a colony composed of millions of individual polyps interconnected through membranes that enable some coordinated behavior. The colony grows upwards as new polyps construct their skeletal cups on top of the old. Growth is very slow, with some coral types expanding by less than 2cm/year. It takes hundreds of years to create even a small coral reef, and tens of thousands of years to produce the great barrier reefs that ring the Turks & Caicos Islands.

Types of Coral
Whether soft or hard in texture, these polyps work in concert to feed not only themselves, but the colony in which they subsist. Corals are omnivorous planktivores, which means they feed on tiny free floating plants and animals called plankton. Corals also contain a symbiotic algae, known as zooxanthellae, that lives within their tissues. These algae produce nearly 50% of the food for the coral as well as help in the calcification process and provide the variable color scheme of the reef framework. In turn, the coral provides a safe haven and nutrients for the algae’s well-being and growth. Clean, well oxygenated water and sunlight are prerequisites for the growth of a coral colony.

There are two categories of coral; hard coral and soft coral. However,there are many different types of corals in varying shapes and forms. Some appear as boulders or pillars, others in sheets.

Soft Corals are usually more flower-like in form.

Hard Corals

Creatures of the Deep

Some common names include brain, finger, mustard, golfball, flower, candelabra, sea fans and sea plumes; descriptively depicting the variety of shapes. All together, these creatures form an incredible ensemble. Hard corals are usually But the adornments don’t stop there; corals provide the framework of habitats and feeding structures that house and nourish a myriad of other marine life, too.

Among the cracks and crevices of the reef, an assortment of crustaceans, mollusks, and echinoderms can be found. Crustaceans are those multi-legged, hard skin creatures such as crabs, lobsters and shrimp that tend to hide amongst the ledges and shelves. Mollusks are those soft-bodied organisms that usually live within the protective shells that they produce themselves. Our Queen Conch is the world’s finest example of a mollusk or marine snail, while clams, flamingo tongues and oysters are also good examples. (Some mollusks, like squids and octopi, don’t form shells.) Echinoderms, known for their spiny skins, include starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars, feather stars and the like, along with the lowly donkey dung sea cucumber so common here.

A diverse array of fish can be found, too, in every size from the tiniest blenny to the gigantic Manta Ray. They appear in a variety of fashions and forms, adapted for every particular mode of transport and means of living.

Other adornments of the reef are the multicolored sponges in variable shapes and sizes, garlands of flower-like anemones and frilly feather duster worms, along with trellises of marine algae in subtle shades of red, green, and golden brown can be found. Many organisms that exist on the reef are not visible to our human eyes, nor are our world aware of all the occupants and intricacies that exist and thrive in the coral environs.

Coral Reef Eco-Systems
The entirety of this complex environment is known as the coral reef ecosystem. The diversity of this watery realm is dependent upon a complicated interlocking exchange of food and nutrients that are sustained through a fragile balance of physical, chemical and biological components. The importance of the reef community expands to both Open Ocean and inland waterways as many reef inhabitants migrate back and forth between these areas in different phases of their life cycles. Adult spiny lobsters spawn their young on the outer reefs to be caught in the open ocean currents. These free floating forms drift for many months before settling out in protected seagrass beds and mangrove communities. As the juvenile lobsters increase in size, they migrate back out to the reefs to continue the cycle again.

From a human perspective, the coral reef community provides a wealth of resources. The huge coralline structure itself acts as a breakwater for our delicate islands, protecting our beaches and soils from storm surge that causes erosion. It also provides sand for our beaches as the coral skeletons and calcareous algae that grow upon the reef structure are broken down into minute bits and pieces and washed towards the shore. Other assets from the reef include the many tasty food items it supplies; local favorites are our lobsters, Nassau grouper and snapper. Last, but certainly not least, coral reefs are the attraction for many diving and snorkeling enthusiasts.

Dangers Affecting the Coral Reef

Around the globe, coral reefs are being destroyed by a multiplicity of human induced ills. Sedimentation caused by dredging and shore side developments suffocates the corals. Excessive nutrients from inappropriate sewage disposal and agricultural runoff cause algal overgrowth of reefs and algal blooms that decrease the sunlight needed for algal production within the corals themselves. Freshwater runoff can also bring sediment loads and toxic chemicals onto the reef while changing the salt content of the surrounding waters.

Over fishing also imbalances the cast of biological characters needed to support the reef community. More direct damage is being inflicted by inappropriate fishing methods, such as the use of chemicals, explosives, and nets in the reef area, as well as mining of live coral for construction, lime production and for the aquarium trade. Uneducated divers and snorkelers do their damage through touching, breaking and kicking sand onto the corals, while boat operators inadvertently ram the reefs or drop anchors in unsuitable areas. Unfortunately, for some the prospects of dollar development outweigh the wealth provided by the reef, and the corals are removed for want of a more lucrative resource.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are fortunate in having some of the only unspoiled reefs left in the Caribbean. The major asset of the tourism industry for the Turks and Caicos is the availability of this still pristine system. The fragility of this environment must be taken into account when contemplating developmental changes. We must carefully weigh the benefits and consequences of our actions and we must keep in mind that every change that affects our reefs will ultimately affect the future of our Islands .

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