U. S. coral reef ecosystems cover less than one percent of the Earth's surface yet are among the most diverse and productive communities on Earth. We rely on reef ecosystems for food, shelter, tourism, and recreation. Despite the importance of reefs, these ecosystems are in trouble. Scientists are working to understand the extent of and reasons for the decline of coral reefs and to provide managers with more effective ways to protect them. NOAA Deep-Sea Coral & Sponge Map
Map shows distribution of coral and sponge around the coastlines of southeast United States and the coastlines around the Caribbean Sea, including the islands within it. Pink outlines indicate regions of exclusive economic zones around Puerto Rico and the southeast United States. Map also shows various colors of triangles and circles. All of the triangles and circles are clustered very close to the coastlines all throughout the southeast United States and the Bahamas. There are several scattered around Cuba, Puerto Rico, along the islands of the lesser Antilles, and the north coastline of South America. Several, but not as many, triangles and circles follow the coastlines of Mexico and through Central America. The predominant shapes are green triangles, white circles, light green circles, lime green circles, red circles, black circles, and red triangles.
© National Centers for Environmental Information 2020

The map legend shows a green triangle for calcareous sponge, yellow triangle for homoscleromorph sponge, blue triangle for demosponge, purple for a glass sponge, and red triangle for sponges, unspecified. Beige circles represent alcyonacean coral, black circles represent black coral, yellow circles represent gold coral, red circles represent gorgonian coral, purple circles represent lace coral, pink circles represent lithotelestid coral, light pink circles represent longhorn hydrozoan coral, light blue circles represent other coral like hydrozoan, dark blue circles represents sea pen, dark green circles represents soft coral, grey circles represent stoloniferan coral, white circles represent stony coral, light green circle represent cup coral, and lime green circle represents unspecified.
© National Centers for Environmental
Information 2020

Use the map to identify the following:
Identify the predominant distribution of coral reef locations.
Using the legend, identify three main coral and/or sponge species in coral reefs of this region.
Describe the characteristics of two marine biomes that likely interact and influence the distribution of coral reef locations.
Several factors contribute to the health of coral reefs ecosystems:
Describe the role of algae in marine biomes.
Explain the effects of ocean pH and temperature on coral reef systems.