Aice marine

Describe 5 benefits of coral reefs:

1. Coastal protection: protection from waves and storms 2. Medicine: made from calcium carbonate, coral skeletons, sponges, and other corals. Some examples are anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-tuberculosis, anti-viral, and anti-malaria. 3. Fisheries/food: corals keep some fish populations down and provide food for people on land. 4. Habitat for other organisms: habitat to animals that can only survive in and around coral reefs. 5. Tourism/Money: money is brought in from tourism that's used to help the environment.

Describe how the methods above can be used to investigate the effect of sea level changes on coral reefs:

1. Drilling: availability of light: top 20m of water 2. Geomorphologic Analysis: new coral grow on top of old coral causing reef to sink. 3. Carbon dating: used to find difference in isotopes.

Discuss the methods used for reconstructing the history of coral reefs:

1. Drilling: core samples; visible layers help to determine age from the thickness of rings similar to those of a tree. 2. Geomorphologic analysis: studying the stage/shape: fringing, barrier, and atoll. 3. Carbon dating: comparing proportions of carbon isotopes 12c + 14c

Describe 3 examples of restoration methods that scientist use to regrow coral reefs:

1. Electric Steel Frames: help stimulate coral growth from shocks. 2. Coral Transplants/ fragmentation: adds to coral reefs to have bigger populations. 3. Artificial reefs(such as reef balls): reef can form and grow on a stable service.

Deep corals:

1. Habitat: dark, cold, and high pressured waters 2. Symbiosis: can only have mutualistic and parasitic relationships. 3. Growth Rate: slower 4. Physical Appearance: all white. 5. How do they obtain energy and food? Since they Lack zooxanthellae the obtain energy from chemosynthesis.

Shallow reefs:

1. Habitat: warm, shallow, clear waters 2. Symbiosis: can have all symbiotic relationships 3. Growth rate: faster in shallow water since water is warm and has little pressure. 4. Physical appearance: different shapes and colors. 5. How do they obtain nutrients and food: open up polyps, get energy from zooxanthellae through photosynthesis.

Describe the impact of artificial reefs:

1. Local Economies: keeps tourism steady and no costly damage offshore. 2. Habitat for organisms: brings back a healthy environment by helping corals grow back. 3. Food/fisheries: prevents businesses from closing by providing food. 4. Coastal protection: Submerged breakwater, dissipate wave energy, reduce coastal erosion, and protect anchored boats.

Using scientific evidence describe the Darwin-Dana- Daily theory:

1. Oceanic volcano emerges from sea surface and forms an island. 2. Reef building corals build and surround island. (fringing) 3. Island sinks and lagoon forms between island and reef. (Barrier) 4. Island disappears below sea. Leaving a ring of small islands with a lagoon in the center. (Atoll)

Describe 7 factors that affect the growth rate of coral:

1. Overfishing: causes a change in the ecosystem that negatively effects the coral reef. 2. Diseases: from pollution, trash, ...and global warming can cause coral bleaching. 3. Temperature: if temperatures get too hot, then coral bleaching will take place since coral need to be living in temperatures of...... 4. Salinity: determines how fast corals grow. Salinity too high=growth slowed down=eventually coral may die. 5. Low inorganic nutrients: Coral would slowly die causing the ecosystem to collapse. 6. Solar Radiation/water transparency: too much sunlight than corals can die and too much radiation leads to bleaching 7. Sedimentation: reduces sunlight penetration, which will inhibit photosynthesis of symbiotic algae(zooxanthellae) in coral tissues.

Describe 5 ways in which corals are eroded easily:

1. Predation: herbivores feeding directly on coral or zooxanthellae. (Crown-of thorns fish) 2. Bioerosion: predation or change in substrate 3. Boat Anchors: tear corals apart 4. Storms: physical breakage of corals and scouring effect of abrasive sediments. 5. Air exposure: low tides and corals being dried or overheated.

Describe the impact of reef erosion on:

1. The coral reef community: smaller and unhealthier reef. Little fish in damages areas. 2. Humans: cause damage to corals by touching the coral, blast fishing, nets, anchors, and pollution. 3. Coastal Protection: Anchors go into reefs where there is little wave action .

At what rate do corals grow?

At a rate of 3-15m/1000yrs.

What compound are corals exoskeleton made?

Calcium Carbonate

Describe how a coral polyp obtains nutrients needed to make its exoskeleton:

Coral polyp filter feeds at night to avoid being preyed on and have stinging tentacles that make it easier to get food.

Describe the symbiotic relationship between coral and zooxanthellae:

It's a mutualistic relationship. Coral benefit by getting energy, O2, and waste removed. Zooxanthellae benefit by getting products for photosynthesis and a safe home.

List various types of coral reefs. Use specific examples and describe the majors used in creating these artificial reefs:

Ships, boats, concrete, ballistic missiles, steel boxes, military equipment, ect; cement, steel, and metal are some materials used.