Again, it wanted to return the item on the coral reef located in the Cobanos beach in the department of Sonsonate, because we believe that this is a natural treasure very important for Salvadorans and for humanity in general.

The Cobanos increasingly is becoming a place of great importance for Salvadorans. This is because every day is obtaining new information about this place, they are revealing of the various studies carried out by specialists in these marine ecosystems. These studies have been carried out since many years ago. It is this wealth of scientific information, which is allowing learn about coral reef The Cobanos.

As we have already commented in an article past a group of organizations are working to protect this area coral. These organizations have done and continue to do a series of activities designed to achieve this goal and promote research in the area of Los Cobanos.

On November 16, 2007 will reach one of the objectives of these institutions and professionals interested in protecting the coral reef in Los Cobanos. That day the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of El Salvador MARN (For his initials letter in Spanish), declare to Los Cobanos as Protected Natural Area. This fight was promoted by institutions such as Fundaarrecife, the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology (ICMARES) from the National University of El Salvador and the foundation Salvanatura, follow a triumph very important that day.

But why is this so important area of Los Cobanos and specifically the coral reef, which is located there, so that has struggled as much to be declared a Protected Natural Area?

The biologist Olga Tejada says a coral reef are marine communities that have been caused by the same biological activity of marine species that live there. They are like cities submarine built by the activity undertaken by the various marine species that are part of this ecosystem, which in turn becomes a source of food and protection for the various living creatures that inhabit it.

But what would be an explanation that is a coral reef and how it fit? According to Olga Tejada, coral reefs are essentially deposits of calcium carbonate that have been produced mainly by corals, with a significant contribution from red algae and coral limestone, which are extensive crusty patches on the surface of the limestone, giving rise to peaks outside through which join each other, the various skeletons of corals, algae thus serve as excellent cement, helping consolidate reefs

Coral reefs are the result of biological activity marina. As a result of this biological activity creates a lot of organic matter which serves as food for many living things they encounter in their reef food source for its survival. The biologist Olga Tejada explains why this biological process is possible in reef ecosystems:

"Corals have a symbiotic relationship" mutual "(in which both benefit) with algae called zooxanthellae, which live in coral tissue, at a concentration of approximately 30,000 cells per mm3. Much of the colouring of the coral is due to the pigmentation of the zooxanthellae. In this connection seaweed receives protection and obtains inorganic nutrients, and waste excretion product of coral, substances such as ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, uric acid, urea, etc.. Some of these compounds seaweed used in the process of photosynthesis. The coral on the other hand takes glucose, oxygen, and the amino acids produced by blue-green algae, nitrogen fixers, which grow massively on dead corals and nitrogen compounds contributing to this atmosphere… "

So a coral reef becomes an ecosystem that allows for the reproduction and maintenance of many marine species, including fish, molluscs and crustaceans. In addition biologist Olga Tejada, explained that another factor that makes the reef very important in protecting them, is that corals in the process of calcification, remove large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere, which makes them a very important element in the fighting is being done globally to prevent climate change on our planet.

Thus, the importance of a coral reef is very broad, as it is a livelihood for many living creatures including human beings since this live from the extraction marketing and consumption of marine species, which are the food source biological processes developed in a coral reef. Moreover, coral reefs are one of our allies in the elimination of CO2 in our environment.