UMary Allen
Iikorale zizilwanyana. Bahlala ngamaqela kwindawo emiselweyo emanzini, ebizwa ngokuba "iikholoni". Uninzi lweekorale luhlala elwandle. Zonke iikorale ziyinxalenye ye-cnidarian phylum, njenge-jellyfish kunye nezinye izilwanyana ezininzi. Ezinye zeekorale ezahlukeneyo azinxulumananga ngokukodwa. Ezona zaziwa kakhulu ziikorale eziqinileyo ezinokuthi zenze iingqaqa zekorale.
Iikorale zintle ukujonga. Uninzi lwazo zinemibala kakhulu kwaye ngenxa yoko zithandwa ngabantu abahlukeneyo. Ezinye zazo othanda ukuzithatha njengezacholo. Nangona kunjalo, iikorale zibaluleke ngakumbi kwindalo: malunga nekota yazo zonke iintlanzi zolwandle zihlala phakathi kweekorale. Bafumana indawo yokuhlala apho kwaye bakhulise amaqanda abo kunye namancinci apho.
Iikorale zifana nobushushu obuthile. Kwakuba shushu kakhulu, ziyafa. Emva koko balahlekelwa ngumbala wabo kwaye kuphela i-skeleton emhlophe yekalika eseleyo. Oku kwenzeka ngakumbi nangakumbi kwiindawo ezahlukeneyo mva nje.
Kusenokwenzeka ukuba unobangela kukutshintsha kwemozulu okubangelwa ngabantu. Oku kwandisa ubushushu elwandle. Umlinganiselo wekharbon diokside ekhutshwa ngabantu kwiatmosfera wenza iilwandle zibe neasidi ngakumbi nangakumbi. Oku kwenza kube nzima kwiikorale ukwakha amathambo azo. KwiGreat Barrier Reef eyaziwayo kude neOstreliya, ngaphezu kwesiqingatha sekorale sele yonakele kakhulu. Abanye sele befile.
Olunye utshaba lweekorale lurhuqwa kumaphenyane amakhulu okuloba arhuqeka ezantsi kolwandle. Basuka baqhawule ikorale. Iikorale ezininzi nazo zitshatyalaliswa ngokutsalwa kweoli kunye negesi yendalo. Kwenzeka into efanayo xa iintambo zombane zibekwe phantsi kolwandle.
Iikorale zinezinye iintshaba ngaphandle kwabantu: Iintlanzi ezahlukahlukeneyo, intlanzi eneenkwenkwezi, kunye neenkumba zithanda ukutya iipolyps zekorale. Iziponji ezidikayo zigqobhoza kumathambo ekorale kwaye zizimele apho. Kwakhona, ezinye iimbaza, iintshulube, nee<em>algae zakha imingxuma kumathambo eekorale ukuze zihlale ngaphakathi.
Ziphila njani iikorale ezomeleleyo?
Iikorale ezinzima zihlala kulwandle olushushu. Ukufudumala kwamanzi kulungile kubo apho. Kwakhona kufuneka ngokupheleleyo amanzi anetyuwa. Zihlala kunye ne-algae encinci, nganye ineseli enye kuphela. Oku kuhlalisana kubizwa ngokuba yi-“symbiosis”.
Yonke i-coral eqinile inamacandelo amabini: Indawo ephezulu ibizwa ngokuba yi "polyp". Ikwimo yekomityi. Phezulu kukho iintente, embindini kukho ukuvuleka komlomo, kwaye ngaphantsi kukho indawo yokwetyisa. Iikorale ezinzima zifunxa amanzi olwandle, zihluze oko zinokukusebenzisa, zize zibuyisele elwandle ezinye. Oku kuyinxalenye yokutya kwabo. Bafumana okuseleyo kokutya kwabo kwi-algae abahlala nabo.
Iikorale zamatye zifumana ikalika emanzini olwandle, eziwakhupha ngeenyawo. Oku kubumba inxalenye yesibini yekorale, "i-corallite". Le nxalenye iyafa, yenze uqaqa lwekorale. Oku kugcina ukukhula. Le yindlela ezasekwa ngayo iziqithi ezininzi, njengeBahamas, iBermuda, iMaldives, iTuvalu nezinye ezininzi.
I-coral enzima ingaba yindoda okanye ibhinqa okanye zombini ngexesha elinye. Bancama amadlozi abo kunye neeseli zamaqanda. Ukuchumisa kuyenzeka elwandle okanye kumama. Kule nto kuvela imibungu. Zidada emanzini kangangeeveki ezintandathu, emva koko zihlale kwaye zenze i-polyp entsha.
Kodwa kwakhona kwenzeka ukuba iimazi zizalisa zodwa. Ezinye iintlobo zekorale zinokuzikhulisela naliphi na iqhekeza ngokwalo emva kokwaphuka.