| The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002. |
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| coral reef |
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| A formation, at or near the surface of tropical waters, formed by skeletal deposits of corals, a form of sea life. | 1 |
| ‡ Coral reefs form a protective environment for a wide variety of marine animals. | 2 |
| ‡ Atolls—ring-shaped islands that nearly or entirely enclose a lagoon—are coral reefs. | 3 |
| ‡ The largest coral reef is the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. | 4 |
| ‡ Coral reefs are very sensitive to chemical pollution and changes in temperature and are considered to be in danger from environmental stress. | 5 |
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| | | The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, and James Trefil. Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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