Coral reefs are the rain forests of the ocean! Scientists estimate that about one-quarter of all ocean species depend on coral reefs for food and shelter. This means coral reefs are a great spot to find many different species of plants and animals. Readers will explore colorful coral reefs and find creatures that don't exist anywhere else on Earth. Full-color photographs show readers how beautiful reefs are, while fact boxes provide them with additional information about why we need to keep these habitats safe.
Provides an overview of coral reefs as ecosystems, describing different types of corals and how they reproduce and discussing the variety of fishes and other animals that depend on coral reefs to sustain them.
Amazing ecosystems are often hidden just below the ocean’s surface. A coral reef is teeming with life, and readers will explore that life with the help of a special ship that takes them up close to the fish, coral, and other creatures that call a coral reef home. From the formation of the reefs themselves to the bacteria and plants that help keep the reef healthy, readers will learn everything there is to know about the amazing and colorful creatures that make up one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems.
What is life like in a coral reef? What do corals eat? Why are corals more colorful at nighttime? Learn about some of the most beautiful locations in the natural world Marine biologists believe coral reefs existed 400 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Today this active environment is home to about 20,000 kinds of brilliantly colored corals, plants, and animals--more sea creatures than are found anywhere else in the world. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is so large that astronauts can see it from outer space! Children in early elementary grades will enjoy Gibbon's informative text and clear, detailed illustrations on this journey into the unique lives of coral reefs.
Meet the world's most fascinating sea creatures—see the lives and curiosities of colorful fish and coral reefs—this spectacular volume has more than 300 color photos and extraordinary text from a leading marine biologist and underwater photographer, and the international expert on seahorses. In this richly informative volume, brimming with new discoveries and more than three hundred colorful images of jaw-dropping fish and coral reefs, you'll swim in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans; you'll be dazzled in the Coral Triangle and amazed in Triton Bay. Up close you'll meet the Cenderawasih fairy wrasse, with its florescent yellow streak; the polka-dot longnose filefish; and the multicolored seadragon. There are scarlet-colored corals, baby-blue sponges, daffodil crinoids, and all sorts of mystifying creatures that change color at the drop of a hat. The whale shark is almost larger than life and the author's beloved pygmy seahorse, unless photographed, is almost too tiny to see. The wondrous creatures inside are charmers and tricksters and excel in the arts of seduction and deception, and you'll have the rare chance to see and delight in their antics. You'll also learn what they eat, how they play, and how they care for one another, live on one another, and mimic others when they're afraid. There is also compelling insight into the naming process, which sea creatures are facing extinction, and how we can help them before it's too late.
Dive into the ocean, explore the colorful coral reef, and learn about the sea animals who call it home in this amazing picture book. The ocean is a magical place with so much to see. So, grab your snorkel and swim around a beautiful coral reef where you’ll discover all the amazing sea creatures who live there! From hermit crabs, fish, and eels to sea horses, octopuses, dolphins, and so much more, this picture book lets you peek inside while learning tons of fun facts about these stunning animals and their lives inside a coral reef. “Engaging, informative, and best of all—fun!” —Cheryl Butler, host of The Mighty Mommy podcast This is a fixed-format ebook, which preserves the design and layout of the original print book
Depicts " ... a host of marine creatures for whom the coral reef is home: seahorse, butterflyfish, hawksbill turtle, parrotfish, octopus, damselfish, moray eel, sea cucumber, dolphin, hydromedusa jellyfish, sea dragon, royal empress angelfish, triggerfish, moorish idol and many more. Detailed captions provide a fascinating overview of the great diversity of life on coral reefs"--Back cover.
