Coral reefs can be said to be "the rainforests of the oceans."
Coral reefs can be said to be "the rainforests of the oceans." These ecosystems are facing a long period of recovery after the devastating tsumani in South Asia in December.
ENN's Jerry Kay spoke with Drew Weiner, Director of Reef Protection International.
Weiner said that the area in the Indian Ocean that was struck is one of the most biodiverse in the world. An area such as this is susceptible to damage that's either man-made or from natural causes.
Shallow areas were seen to have been damaged the most, with soft coral particularly affected. According to Weiner, soft coral doesn't stand up to swift currents as well as hard corals.
The upside, however, is that soft corals have quick regrowth rates. The recovery has already started.
You can learn more here at Reef Protection International's website.
