How are reefs formed? From time to time polyps produce eggs and sperm. These join to form a baby coral animal, called a planula (1), that drifts in the sea. If the planula finds a clean, hard surface, it attaches itself and turns into a polyp (2). The polyp grows and multiples by budding (3). In this way, corals spread from one place to another. Dead coral rock provides a hard surface where young coral can settle, but many other creatures settle there too. Often plants and sponges cover the surface before new polyps can attach. Or, plants may grow over young polyps and smother them. Reef animals such as sea urchins, parrotfish, snails, and limpets graze on the plants and sponges, making room for new corals to settle and grow. Most corals grow about one centimeter per year, so it takes hundreds of years for a coral reef to develop (4). Without the help of animals that feed on fast-growing plants, a reef could never develop. E faapefea ona fausia a'au? O tamai meaola ia e fausia 'amu e tatau lava ona tuufaatasia vaega tane ma fafine e faia ai le tamai 'amu. O lea tu'ufaatasiga e masani lava ona tupu pe tasi lava i le tausaga. O le foliga mai o lenei faatasiga e faapei o le taimi lea e sau ai i luga le palolo. O tamai 'amu e ope'opea ma avesolo e galu i ogasami ese'ese. A maua se ogasami mama ma mafai ona pipiimau ai lenei tamai 'amu ona avea lea ma polipo 'polyp'. E tupu ma olaola polipo, ma faateleina i nei nofoaga e o'o lava ina salalau ma tele lava 'amu i nofoaga ese'ese o le a'au. O 'amu ua pepe e aoga i polipo nei ao tau tuputupu ae, o le tele foi o isi meaola ole sami e lalafi ma nonofo i pupu o ma'a nei. O luga o le a'au ua ola ai limu ma omomi ma ufitia ai le tele o nonoaga, o nofoaga ia e mafai ona ola ai 'amu. O isi nofoaga ua tutupu ai limu i luga o tamai 'amu o tuputupu ifo ma o'oi ina pepe ai. O meaola o le a'au e iai kuikui / vaga / sava'i, le i'a o le fuga, o sisi ma alili e latou fesoasoani tele i le faamamaina lea o limu ma omomi o ola i luga o le a'au ina ia avanoa le mea e ola ai 'amu. e telegese foi le tuputupu 'ae o amu, e tusa pe tasi le senitemita e tupu al le 'amu ile tausaga e tasi. O le tulaga foi lea e faitau selau ai tausaga o tau fausia se a'au ;amu. O le a'au e manaomia tele le fesoasoani le isi meaola i le isi aua le olaola lelei pea oi latou faapea tatou foi. Pehea e kukulu ai na ko'aka? I kekahi manawa, ho'ohana na uku ko'ako'a i na hua a me na keakea. Ho'ohui keia e hanau i kekahi ko'a keiki e lanawale ai ma ke kai. Ina huli ke keiki i kekahi papa pa'a a pono, ho'ohui ia a lilo i uku ko'ako'a. Ho'onuinui ka uku ko'ako'a. A peia, ho'oka'awale a laha i keia wahi me kela. Ho'okumu ke ko'a hala i kekahi papapa'a no ka noho'ana o na ko'a keiki a me na mea iki a'e. Ho'opo'i pinepine na meakanu a me na upi i ka papaluna ma mua o ka hui pu 'ana o na uku ko'ako'a hou. Ai'ole ulu na meakanu ma luna o na ko'a 'opiopio a ho'ohala ia lakou. 'Ai ka wana, ka uhu, ke alili, a i ka 'opihi, ma na meakanu a me na upi e ho'oho'onui i na wahi no ka ulu'ana o na ko'a hou. Uluakula ka hapanui o na ko'a i ho'okahi kenimika na pakahi i ka makahiki, no laila, ke pau ka ulu'ana ma hope o na makahiki haneli nui. Ina, 'alole kokua na holoholona 'ai meakanu ulu wiki, 'a'ole hiki i na ko'aka ke ho'onuinui.