Coral Reefs

1. Coral Reefs By: Lauren F http://web.syr.edu/~tjconena/sjcoralfor400300.JPG

2. Classification • Phylum: Cnidaria • Class: Anthozoa • Radically symmetric • Sessile animals http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/images/coral.jpg

3. Structure • Made up of hundreds of thousands polyps • Consists of three layers: 1. outer epidermis 2. inner layer of cells lining the gastrovascular cavity, which carries out digestion 3. mesoglea- which lies in between • Ring of tentacles that surround the mouth which helps capture food • Tentacles contain stinging cells called nematocysts which further aid in capturing food • Opens at only one end • Calcium carbonate is secreted to build a protective home for coral polyps called a calyx The structure of a coral polyp http://www.solcomhouse.com/coralreef.htm

4. Biology • Best grow in sunny, shallow clear water- helps coral get sunlight , which is essential in order to carry out photosynthesis • Usually don’t grow deeper than 40m and prefer salt water • Coral polyps have a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae • Zooxanthellae- single celled algae carry out photosynthesis in order for the coral polyp to receive nutrients • Coral gives a protective home to the algae, and in return the algae supplies the coral with oxygen and helps it to remove wastes • Zooxanthellae provides coral with organic products such as glucose, glycerol, and amino acids which are essential in producing protein, fats and carbohydrates • Cyanobacteria provide soluble nitrates for coral reefs through nitrogen fixation • Corals feed upon zooplankton Zooxanthellae http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral3.htm Coral Polyps http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral1.htm

5. Biology Cont. • Can reproduce sexually and asexually • Reproductive cells found in the mesentery membranes • Internally fertilized eggs are gathered inside polyp and become a planula(tiny larva) • Externally fertilized eggs are developed through synchronized spawning; polyps take turn releasing eggs and sperm into the water • Spawning depends on water temperature, time of year, tidal and lunar cycles Coral spawning http://research.fit.edu/upload/UserFiles/Image/uploaded/VanWoesik1b.JPG http://www.jcu.edu.au/school/pms/CGC/Spawning.jpg

6. Cool Facts • One of the oldest ecosystems on Earth • Largest living structure on Earth • Without coral reefs, parts of Florida would be underwater • Have been used to treat cancer, HIV, cardiovascular diseases along with ulcers • Provide 375 billion dollars a year in goods and services • Their limestone skeletons have been used for human bone grafts • Protect coasts from wave erosion • 10% of the worlds reefs have been destroyed • Over 70% of the coral reefs in the Philippines have been destroyed • Home to 25% of all marine life • Coral is found in about 100 countries http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/images/coral_reef_1.jpg

7. Importance of Coral Reefs • Home to many organisms and species of fish • Fishery and nursery area- important economically • Provides many people with income • Provide a protective barrier from erosion to coastlines • Provide information on changes in water quality (because Coral Reefs are very sensitive) • Tourist attractions • Control the amount of carbon dioxide in the water http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/march30/gifs/reef_fish.jpg Jewelry made from coral http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/dietr1rv/zoogems/coral%20blackBeads.JPG

8. The Destruction of Coral Reefs • Pollution- poorly managed land development • Fish Trade- over-fishing * Use of cyanide to capture fish (80-90% of exported fish from the Philippines are caught with the use of sodium cyanide) • Dynamite Fishing- not only kills fish, but also coral • Coral Bleaching- caused by global warming- the high temperatures kills the zooxanthellae that provide the coral with nutrients • Ocean Acidification- the decrease in the ocean’s surface pH level, increases the amount of CO2 dissolved in the oceans • African and Asia dust outbreaks- the dust that blows into the oceans declines the health of the coral reefs http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/images/dynamite_reef_1.jpg http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/images/bleached_coral_1.jpg

9. Examples • The Great Barrier Reef- Queensland, Australia; the largest coral reef system • The Belize Barrier Reef- along the coast of Belize down to the Bay Islands of Honduras; second largest coral reef system • The Red Sea Coral Reef- coast of Egypt and Saudi Arabia • Pulley Ridge- Florida; deepest photosynthetic coral reef • The New Caledonia Barrier Reef- length of about 1500km The Great Barrier Reef is on the northeastern coat of Australia. http://t3.pacific.edu/teams/M043406/reef2.jpg The Belize Barrier Reef http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/j/e/jea4/barrier2.jpg

10. Types of Coral Reefs • Atoll Reef- extends all around a lagoon without a central island * when an island sinks below the ocean’s surface • Fringing Reef- directly attached to shore * grow up to the edge of the shore • Barrier Reef- separated from mainland by lagoon * only grow when there is a change of sea level on the coast adjacent from it * grow where land is sinking faster in the water Example of a fringing reef http://geology.uprm.edu/Morelock/7_image/rffrng.jpg http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral2.htm

11. Works Sited • The Biological Sciences: State University of New York at Stony Brook • Solcomhouse • Ocean World • Wikipedia • Habitat Protection • This site provides many great example of the different types of corals and the organisms that live within them • This site contains information on the many ways that Coral Reefs are being destroyed and a great breakdown of its structure • This site gives the types of coral reefs and provides excellent pictures that help further depict the different types. • This site is a great because it covers everything you need to know about coral reefs; biology, structure, example, location etc. • This site explains the importance of Coral Reefs to our environment