CoralReefslauren.ppt

8/14/2019 CoralReefslauren.ppt

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What is coral? Its a living organism!

It is an invertebrate

2 different types: Reef Building: Hermatypic

Solitary: Ahermatypic

Coral is cousins to jellyfish and anemones(Cnidarians)

Today we will talk mainly about reef building coral

Sun Coral Polyps


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Where Can You Find Coral Reefs? Coral is found all over

the world:

Tropical

Temperate

Polar

Only tropical corals

build reefsCoral reefs around the world
http://www.coris.noaa.gov/about/what_are/coral_dist.jpg


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Classification Phylum: Cnidaria

Class: Anthozoa

Radically symmetric Sessile animals


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Structure Made up of hundreds of thousands

polyps Consists of three layers:

1. outer epidermis2. inner layer of cells lining thegastrovascular cavity, which

carries out digestion3. mesoglea- which lies inbetween

Ring of tentacles that surround themouth which helps capture food

Tentacles contain stinging cells called

nematocysts which further aid incapturing food Opens at only one end Calcium carbonate is secreted to build

a protective home for coral polypscalled a calyx

The structure of a coral polyp


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Biology Best grow in sunny, shallow clear water- helps

coral get sunlight , which is essential in order

to carry out photosynthesis Usually dont grow deeper than 40m and prefer

salt water Coral polyps have a symbiotic relationship

with zooxanthellae

Zooxanthellae- single celled algae carry outphotosynthesis in order for the coral polyp toreceive nutrients

Coral gives a protective home to the algae, andin return the algae supplies the coral withoxygen and helps it to remove wastes

Zooxanthellae provides coral with organicproducts such as glucose, glycerol, and aminoacids which are essential in producing protein,fats and carbohydrates

Cyanobacteria provide soluble nitrates forcoral reefs through nitrogen fixation

Corals feed upon zooplankton

http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral3.htm

Zooxanthellae

Coral Polyps
http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral3.htmhttp://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral3.htmhttp://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral3.htmhttp://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral3.htm


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Biology Cont.

Can reproduce sexually andasexually

Reproductive cells found in themesentery membranes

Internally fertilized eggs aregathered inside polyp andbecome a planula(tiny larva)

Externally fertilized eggs aredeveloped throughsynchronized spawning; polyps

take turn releasing eggs andsperm into the water Spawning depends on water

temperature, time of year, tidaland lunar cycles

http://research.fit.edu/upload/UserFiles/Image/uploaded/VanWoesik1b.JPG

Coral spawning

http://www.jcu.edu.au/school/pms/CGC/Spawning.jpg
http://research.fit.edu/upload/UserFiles/Image/uploaded/VanWoesik1b.JPGhttp://research.fit.edu/upload/UserFiles/Image/uploaded/VanWoesik1b.JPGhttp://www.jcu.edu.au/school/pms/CGC/Spawning.jpghttp://www.jcu.edu.au/school/pms/CGC/Spawning.jpghttp://research.fit.edu/upload/UserFiles/Image/uploaded/VanWoesik1b.JPGhttp://research.fit.edu/upload/UserFiles/Image/uploaded/VanWoesik1b.JPG


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Cool Facts1. One of the oldest ecosystems on Earth

2. Largest living structure on Earth

3. Without coral reefs, parts of Floridawould be underwater

4. Have been used to treat cancer, HIV,cardiovascular diseases along withulcers

5. Provide 375 billion dollars a year ingoods and services

6. Their limestone skeletons have beenused for human bone grafts

7. Protect coasts from wave erosion

8. 10% of the worlds reefs have beendestroyed

9. Over 70% of the coral reefs in thePhilippines have been destroyed

10. Home to 25% of all marine life

11. Coral is found in about 100 countries


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Importance of Coral Reefs Home to many organisms and

species of fish

Fishery and nursery area-important economically

Provides many people withincome

Provide a protective barrier fromerosion to coastlines

Provide information on changesin water quality (because Coral

Reefs are very sensitive) Tourist attractions

Control the amount of carbondioxide in the water

Jewelry made from coral


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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 thezooxanthellae that provide the coral with

nutrients Ocean Acidification- the decrease in the

oceans surface pH level, increases theamount of CO2 dissolved in the oceans

African and Asia dust outbreaks- the dust

that blows into the oceans declines thehealth of the coral reefs


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Types of Coral

ReefsAtoll Reef- extends all around a lagoon

without a central island

* when an island sinks belowthe oceans surface

Fringing Reef- directly attached toshore

* grow up to the edge of theshore

Barrier Reef- separated from

mainland by lagoon* only grow when there is achange of sea level on the coastadjacent from it

* grow where land is sinking

faster in the water

Example of a fringing reef


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Coral Builds Reefs? The animal portion of

the reef is called a polyp

The polyp absorbscalcium carbonate out ofthe water

The calcium carbonate is

used to build the reef


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Reefs Corals Build Corals can build three types of

reefs:

Fringing: grows close to shore Barrier: also grows close to

shore but has a lagoonseparating it from the shore

Atoll: a ring of coral thatsurrounds a lagoon, often growson a submerged mountain or

volcanohttp://www.nos.noaa.gov/education/kits/

corals/media/coral04a_240.jpg
http://www.nos.noaa.gov/education/kits/corals/media/coral04a_240.jpg


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Coral are Cnidarians

Soft bodied

Carnivorous

Stinging tentaclesarranged in a circlearound their mouth

Body symmetry

Specialized tissues
http://biodidac.bio.uottawa.ca/ftp/BIODIDAC/ZOO/GENERAL/DIAGBW/GENE005B.GIFhttp://www.wgn.net/~fabio/gallery/bonaire-scuba-photo/bonaire-giant-sea-anemone.jpg


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Cnidarians Usually two life stages:

Polyp

Medusa

Gastrovascular cavity Food is broken down

here but digested

intracellularly
http://www.uta.edu/biology/westmoreland/classnotes/1333/Chapte_%2022_pt1_files/image007.jpg


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Cnidarians Respiration and waste

removal takes placethrough body walls

Nerve net Some have a hydrostatic

skeleton

Some move through jet

propulsion
http://biodidac.bio.uottawa.ca/ftp/BIODIDAC/ZOO/CNIDARIA/DIAGBW/CNID010B.GIFhttp://biodidac.bio.uottawa.ca/ftp/BIODIDAC/ZOO/CNIDARIA/DIAGBW/CNID010B.GIFhttp://fridayanimal.com/400x400/jellyfish.jpg


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Anatomy of Coral The coral polyps build a

calcium carbonate cupcalled a corallite to live in

Coral has stinging cellscalled nematocysts


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Stinging Cells Nematocysts help coral

catch food

They also help protect thecoral

When the cell isstimulated, it releases asharp barb

The barb will fire and catchthe food and bring it backtowards the mouth
http://hypnea.botany.uwc.ac.za/marbot/images/nematocyst.gifhttp://www.oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/corals/media/coral01b_240.jpg


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Coral and Zooxanthella Symbiotic relationship

Zooxanthella is an algae that lives in the skin of coral

Coral provides protection

Zooxanthella provides food and color!


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Asexual Reproduction To reproduce coral can

reproduce asexually orsexually

Asexual reproduction incorals is called budding

A baby polyp will begingrowing off the adult

When it is ready it willdetach and live on its own

This can not start newcolonies, only help the oldcolony grow bigger

This is a hydra (cousin to coral)

with two buds. One bud (on the

right) is older than the other.


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Coral Reproduction Sexual reproduction is called

spawning

External fertilization

It can start new colonies

Sperm and eggs are released intothe water column

The fertilized egg is then called aplanula

The planula swims until it finds agood place to live


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A New Home Corals now have a choice

of where to live

Corals are very sensitive

and are rapidly dying

People are trying to helpby creating artificialreefs
http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/reef/images/big/reef0002.jpghttp://www.dnr.state.md.us/naturalresource/reef5.jpghttp://typhoon.wcp.muohio.edu/boardman/BahamasCourses/Bahamas_2000/PhotoGallery/05_DavisLedges/images/zArtificialReef02.jpghttp://www.secta.org.uk/images/CNV00020.JPGhttp://www.dnr.state.md.us/naturalresource/reef5.jpghttp://www.photolib.noaa.gov/reef/images/big/reef0002.jpghttp://www.marilim.de/bilder/ball-ch.jpghttp://www.vanaqua.org/aquanews/field/images/ARMS_LMorton_sm.jpg


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Arguments for Artificial Reefs It can help build or

rebuild a reef

It will increase fishpopulations bymaking new habitats
http://www.mbara.org/steel-reef-300.jpghttp://www.njscuba.net/reefs/img/reef_food_web.jpghttp:/www.njscuba.net/reefs/ecology.html


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Arguments Against Artificial Reefs

Moveable

Chemical leaking and leaching

into the ocean It does not increase fish

populations but rather movesthem to one location away from

their natural habitat whichmakes them easier to catch

Documents

CoralReefslauren.ppt