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Agents A ffecting Reef Growth

Agents A ffecting Reef Growth. Constructive Agents . “Reef Builders” Organisms that secrete the calcium carbonate skeletons that form the reef Examples: Calcareous Corals Coralline Algae. Crack Fillers. Organisms that produce sediment or live in the cracks & crevices of the reef

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Agents A ffecting Reef Growth

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  1. Agents Affecting Reef Growth

  2. Constructive Agents • “Reef Builders” • Organisms that secrete the calcium carbonate skeletons that form the reef • Examples: • Calcareous Corals • Coralline Algae

  3. Crack Fillers • Organisms that produce sediment or live in the cracks & crevices of the reef • Examples: • Encrusting coralline algae • Fragments of coral • Foraminifera • one-celled animals that make shells – for ex: paper shells • Mollusks • Echinoderms

  4. Passive Agents • Organisms that use the structure of the reef to live and hide in; don’t affect the structure, but may eat inhabitants of be eaten by them • Examples: • Anemones • Crustaceans • Many Fish • Worms • Red, green, brown algae • Octopuses • Many mollusks

  5. Destructive Biological Agents • Organisms that destroy by chewing, eroding, blanketing, or producing acid • Examples: • Boring sponges • Coral-eating fish (ex: parrotfish) • Worms • Sea Urchins & Sea Stars • Boring Mollusks • Rapid-growing algae

  6. Constructive Physical Agents • “Builders” • Examples: • Calm Water • Adequate sunlight • Optimum salinity • Clear water • Solid substrate • Adequate nutrients

  7. Destructive Physical Agents • Actions & Organisms that kill coral and wear away the reef • Examples: • Pounding waves • Moving sand • Smothering sediments (silt) • Freshwater rain • Very low tides • Rising seafloor • Sinking seafloor • Rising or falling water temperature • Runoff from land • Excessive nutrients in water • Pollution

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