Coral Reefs - Mt. SAC 20/Lecture...Photo Diane R Nelson The -Hitl Inc requir«i tor display. Photo...

Coral Reefs

Corals

Phylum?

What stage is dominant?

Two ways that corals obtain food?

Hard Corals - polyps produce calcium carbonate skeletons, which build reefs

Fig. 14.2

Hard Corals - polyps produce calcium carbonate skeletons, which build reefs

Soft Corals – (majority of corals), do not build reefs, lack hard skeleton

ex. black coral, gorgonians, sea fans

Other Reef Builders

Phylum? Name?

Can deposit more calcium carb. than corals

Other Reef Builders

Bryozoans, sponges & shells

Physical Characteristics That Influence Coral Reefs

1. What region are coral reefs limited to?

Fig. 14.11

Coral

Kelp

Highly productive even in low nutrient water!

Physical Characteristics That Influence Coral Reefs

2. Depth at which coral reefs are limited to?

Physical Characteristics That Influence Coral Reefs

3. Other conditions that corals are sensitive too?

Coral Bleaching

What organisms within the corals are dying?

Coral Killers

Crown of Thorns seastar

Overgrowth of algae

Algae & Seastar Consumers

Giant Triton

Coral Killers Sedimentation

Warming

Coral Killers

Coral Killers

Red Sea

June 1998 Sept 1998 Nov 1998