Picturesque Coral Reefs and Their Ecosystems

The placid waters on this beach in Palau are protected by a large outlying reef just short of the horizon. (Photo: Steve McNicholas)

This isolated atoll is surrounded by a coral reef. Coral reefs occupy less than one percent of the ocean, but they nurture 25% of the marine wildlife. (Photo: McNicholas/Creswell)

Coral reefs are responsible for keeping water quality high for these spotted dolphins. (Photo: McNicholas/Cresswell)

Sharks prefer the shallow waters in or around coral reefs. (Photo: McNicholas/Cresswell)

Clownfish have lived undisturbed on coral reefs for thousands of years. (Photo: Luke Cresswell)

A Christmas Tree worm lives in a tube, which is like a shell that it builds on the surface of a coral. (Photo: Luke Cresswell)

The Coco Worm’s feather duster helps filter water in the reef. (Photo: Steve McNicholas)

Jelly Fish Lake on the Island of Palau is filled with millions of jelly fish, which have lost their sting over the years because of lack of predators. (Photo: McNicholas/Cresswell)

Special camera equipment developed for “The Last Reef” allowed cinematographers to get macro images in 3D. (Photo: McNicholas/Cresswell)

Special camera equipment developed for “The Last Reef” allowed cinematographers to get macro images in 3D. (Photo: McNicholas/Cresswell)

The health of the coral reef is tied to the health of other ecosystems like this mangrove in Palau. (Photo: Steve McNicholas)

British artist Jason deCarires Taylor’s life-sized sculptures in an underwater park in Cancun become a new reef under the sea. (Photo: McNicholas/Creswell)

Sunset on the Island of Palau. (Photo: Steve McNicholas)