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Coral Organisms
•Corals are made up of individual polyps
•Polyps form colonies
•Hermatypic corals build reefs
•Polyps secrete a calcium carbonate
skeleton
Zooxanthellae
Reef formation
• Fringing Reef
• Barrier Reef
• Patch Reef
• Apron Reef
• Bank Reef
• Ribbon Reef
• Atoll Reef
• Table Reef
Largest biological
constructions on earth!
Fringing Reef
-a reef that is directly attached to a shore or
borders it with an intervening shallow channel or
lagoon.
Apron Reef
- a short reef resembling a fringing reef, but more sloped; extending out and downward from a point or peninsular shore.
Atoll Reef
- a more or less circular or continuous barrier reef extending all the way around a lagoon without a central island.
Coral Ecosystems
•Oligotrophic systems
•Low nutrients lead to symbioses
•Important nurseries
•Protection from predation
Highest biodiversity of any
ocean ecosystem!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d3qie3jbHk
Threats to Corals
•Bleaching
•Stressed corals expel zooxanthellae
•Corals already live at their thermal maximum
Predictions for temperature
increases are between 2 and
11.5o F!!!
Threats to Corals
•Sea Level Rise
•Light attenuates with depthPredictions for sea level rise
are between 7 and 23
inches!!!
Threats to Corals
•Overgrowth by macroalgae
•Increased nutrients
•Overfishing of herbivorous fish
•Dieoff of sea urchins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbN161yBBGA
Phase shifts Coral dominated
reef
Algal
overgrowth
Algal
dominance
-persistent change in two
or more variables
describing a state of
something