Question

Short answer type question:
How are coral islands formed?

Answer 1

Hint: A coral island is a type of island formed from coral detritus and associated organic matter. They occur in tropical and sub-tropical regions typically as part of coral reefs that have evolved to cover a much larger area under the sea.

Complete Answer:
Formation of coral island: Coral islands begin over a hot spot like a volcanic island. On the outskirts of the volcano, a fringing reef forms as the volcano rises from the sea. Via a mechanism known as plate tectonics, the volcano gradually moves away from the hot spot.

The coral must continue to grow to remain in the epipelagic zone once the island is submerged (sunlit). This causes the coral, with a shallow lagoon in the middle, to grow into an atoll. The lagoon will then undergo accretion and create an island entirely composed of materials of carbonate. Later, the process is strengthened with the remains of plant life that grows on the island.

Note: Some of the oldest ecosystems on the earth are coral reefs. More plant and animal species are protected by the reef ecosystem than any other habitat.[citation needed For various reasons, coral reefs are important for life, some of which include structure, ecology, and nutrient cycles that all sustain reef biodiversity.