Biotic processes Flashcards
What are coral reefs
Calcium carbonate structures secreted by tiny animals calls polyps. They build slowly over time and can be hundreds of metres thick
What are the best conditions for coral reefs?
Clear water allowing light penetration
Seawater temperature between 23-29 C
Shallow water - less than 100m deep
Wave activity that aerates the water
Where are most coral reefs found and where is the biggest
91% are found in the Indo-Pacific region.
The largest is the great barrier reef off the Queensland Australia coast with over 2900 reefs
What effect can changes in conditions cause
Death of coral making the reef susceptible to erosion.
Broken coral can be transported and deposited to make rubble mounds suitable for new coral colonisation
What are mangroves?
Mangroves form an ecosystem of small trees growing along tropical coastlines where fine sediments are deposited
What happens to vegetation in mangroves?
The vegetation is adapted to be salt tolerant and able to survive in waterlogged mud with extremes of temperature
What adaptations come from vegetation in mangroves
Stilt roots
Roots that grow upwards from the mud for more oxygen uptake
Ability to absorb air through the bark
What can mangroves protect from?
Further deposition and erosion by reducing wave energy. This can be a method of reducing impacts of tsunamis.
Where is the largest mangrove?
The Great Sundarbans mangrove forest India and Bangladesh cover 1,400km^2
