Darwin's Theory of Coral Reef Formation Required That

Question

Darwin's theory of coral reef formation required that
A) Coral reefs cease growing when sea level lowered
B) Corals evolved very recently
C) The rock beneath a coral reef was steadily sinking
D) Volcanic islands were steadily rising under the reefs

Accepted Answer

Darwin's theory of coral reef formation, known as the subsidence theory, posits that coral reefs form through a gradual sinking of the ocean floor. As the volcanic island or seafloor beneath the reef sinks, corals continue to grow upwards towards the sunlight, resulting in the formation of different types of reefs (fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls) depending on the stage of the process.