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Symbiosis
Coral polyps rely on the relationship they have with a microscopic kind of algae called zooxanthellae. This algae has adapted to living in a coral reef by providing coral polyps with some of the oxygen and carbohydrates it produces during photosynthesis. The algae also absorbs the nitrogen and carbon dioxide that coral polyps produce as a waste product. The coral allows the algae to live within its tissues in exchange for the advantages it offers.
Root System
Sea grasses function in a similar way to terrestrial turf grasses by anchoring the soil sediment on the ocean floor with their roots. These roots are adapted specifically for the ocean environment, keeping the plant in place during strong ocean currents. The effect of anchoring the soil is to keep the surrounding waters clear of floating debris, which assists other fish and animals in the area. Sea grasses also produce oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis, which coral need to respire.
Calcium Carbonate
Coralline algae secrete calcium carbonate that cements a coral reef together. This adaptation is beneficial to living on a coral reef because it keeps the reef ecosystem from disintegrating under the constant pressure of ocean waves. This type of red algae does not require as much sunlight as other algae, and so is found on the underside of coral reefs.
Salinity
Mangroves hold shrub-like plants that have adapted to living in waters with a high salt content. These plants excrete salt from their leaves, and have specially modified prop roots that allow the root structure of the plant to receive oxygen. Groves of these plants are considered to be a part of a coral reef ecosystem, and benefit the reef by stabilizing the sediments that come from the shoreline.