(Photo credit: Reef image from sxc.)
Underwater reefs are one of the major elements necessary for sea life to grow and strive. A reef can come in many forms and sizes. It is amazing how nature provides habitat for fish, sharks, porpoise, whales, shellfish, crabs and other marine creatures. These are fundamental necessities that the seas must have in order to stay healthy. It is also interesting how reef habitat can come from many different sources. When you think of a place for sea life to grow, do you first think of a coral reef or other type of natural bottom of the sea floor? Maybe so, but their are also many other things that help sea creatures grow and thrive.
Besides natural formations, other types of reefs include shipwrecks, artificial reefs, mangroves, bays, rivers and smaller bodies of water. The food chain depends upon the proper balance of many forms of natural and artificial habitat.
