Coral Reefs and their Marine Families Reef IQ

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Coral Reefs and their Coral Reefs and their Marine FamiliesMarine Families

Reef IQ

New VocabularyNew vocabulary will be highlighted in green. Please

write down each new word for review at the end of the class.

polyps algae

ecosystemhabitat

zooxanthellae tentacles

Introduction to Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are amazing, natural wonders that live in the warm waters of the tropics, providing habitat for thousands of marine creatures.

Corals- ANIMAL or PLANT?

Coral is an ANIMAL!

• Coral is actually an animal. • They live attached to the sea

floor.• They are the builders of the reef!• A single coral animal is called a

coral polyp. • The coral polyps live together in

colonies.

The coral polyps live inside here

Polyps Outside!

Polyps Inside

Tiny, little animals!

What do they eat?

• To get energy to build the coral reef the corals need to eat.

• The polyps use their tentacles to catch tiny animals that float in the water called zooplankton.

• But corals get MOST of their food from marine plants that actually live inside the coral!

A coral polyp

What do they eat?

• A microscopic type of algae called zooxanthellae actually live inside corals, just under their skin.

• Corals are solar-powered just like trees on land. The algae that live inside the coral soak up the sun all day - just like sunbathers on the beach.

A coral polyp

Zooxanthellae

Coral polyp

Coral colony

Corals

Coral Reef

• The Great Barrier Reef is the largest system in the world and can be seen from outer space.•Corals produce a hard skeleton that forms the actual structure of the reef.•Coral reefs have the second highest biodiversity after rainforests.

Interesting Coral Reef Facts

Why are coral reefs important?• Habitat: They are home to 33% of all known fish species.

•Nursery: And a nursery ground for over 25% of all marine species.

Photo by J. RandallPhoto by Dee Wescott

Photo by MacGillivray Freeman Films

Why are coral reefs important?•Income: they provide millions of dollars of income annually for people living by coral reefs.

•Medical Research: coral reefs have the potential to be used as medical cures to treat cancer, heart disease, HIV and arthritis among others.

• Protection: they protect 20% of the world’s coast from wave erosion.

• Food: they are a food source for millions of people.

• Tourism: coral reefs attract tourists from all over the world.

What is a healthy environment for coral reefs?• Sunlight

• A certain salinity• Low nutrient, clear water• Water temperature 18-29 ºC • Water circulation

Photo by MacGillivray Freeman Films

What are the man-made threats to coral reefs?

• Global warming leading to coral bleaching.

• Runoff of chemicals and nutrients from land

• Sedimentation.• Rubbish including

marine debris• Overfishing • Physical damage from

tourists and fishermen• Pollution from

untreated sewage and oil.

An example of coral bleaching.

What plants live on coral reefs?

Algae - lots of different types!

What animals live on the reef?

Turtles!

Crayfish

What animals live on coral reefs?

Hard coral

Giant clams

Parrotfish

Butterflyfish

Surgeonfish

Damselfish

Damselfish includingClownfish, like Nemo!

Cleaner shrimp

Sponges

Coral Trout

Sharks

THE END!

Perhaps you can join them one day!

Coral Reefs and their Marine Families Reef IQ

Documents

The Great Barrier Reef 2016 - Global Coral Bleaching Event · importance of reefs. These include the ‘Coral Reefs and Climate Change’ book and DVD, reef education packages and

Progress Report...National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs Understand Coral Reef Ecosystems: Goal 1: Map all U.S. coral reefs Goal 2: Assess, monitor and forecast reef health Goal

Artificial Coral Reefs as a Method of Coral Reef Fish Conservatio.pdf

Sponge Reefs M. Krautter, U. Stuttgart Sponge Reef Project, 1999

Indo-Pacific Reefs - Coral Reef Targeted Research

Reefs Formation and Growth II. REEF CEMENTERS Encrusting Coraline Algae Encrusting Corals

THE STATE OF CORAL REEFS AND CORAL REEF ...coralreef.nus.edu.sg/publications/Chou1994ASEAN...THE STATE OF CORAL REEFS AND CORAL REEF RESEARCH IN SINGAPORE L.M. Chou, J.K.Y. Low and

Parks Australia - Coral Sea Marine Park cscsphpz01 ......Detailed maps are available for individual areas (Osprey, Shark and Vema Reefs, Bougainville Reef, Holmes Reefs, Lihou Reef,

REEFS FOR THE FUTUREReef Studies (ISRS) • Largest society of reef scientists • Goal: scientific understanding of coral reefs • Quarterly scientific journal Coral Reefs (Peer-reviewed

Designed Reefs for Reef and Coastal Restoration and

Observations of reef conditions on central Maldives reefs ... 2005.pdf · Observations of reef conditions on central Maldives reefs, ... Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, ... (fished for supplying

Remote Sensing Coral Reefs Curriculum - NOAA's Coral Reef

FIELD GUIDEBOOK TO THE REEFS AND REEF COMMUNITIES …miseryukyu.com/MISE@University_of_the_Ryukyus/Zoantharia_literature_files/Adeyetal1977.pdfFIELD GUIDEBOOK TO THE REEFS AND REEF

Blue Reef - restoration of stone reefs in Kattegatnaturstyrelsen.dk/media/nst/Attachments/Technical... · Blue Reef – restoration of stone reefs in Kat-tegat/ Restaurering af stenrev

Reef Water CO System and Carbon Production of Coral Reefs

Coral Reef Formations - Virginia Institute of Marine Science to Coral Reefs... · •Hermatypic corals build reefs ... Reef formation •Fringing Reef •Barrier Reef ... -a reef

coral demographics draft6 - Coral Reef · the coral reefs adjacent to Hawaii are considered less diverse and generally less productive than other reefs (17). The extent of coral reef

Www.reefcheckaustralia.org Threats and Dangers to Coral Reefs Reef IQ

Acanthaster planci on the Great Barrier Reef: Swain Reefs and northern

Keeping Watch on Coral Reefs - Microsoft · PDF filecoral reefs CORAL REEF LESSON PLAN Keeping Watch on Coral Reefs Focus Management of coral reefs Grade Level 9-12 (Earth Science)