Coral reefs

Question 1

What temperature range does coral reefs require

Answer 1

23-25 degrees

Question 2

What depth does coral reefs require

Answer 2

25 and less

Question 3

What type of salinity does the coral reef require?

Answer 3

low salinity

Question 4

What type of ph do corals require

Answer 4

PH of around 8.7

Question 5

What type of tubidity do corals require

Answer 5

A low turbidity

Question 6

Do corals require light

Answer 6

Yes, they need light for their algae to photosynthesise

Question 7

Where do zooxanthellae live

Answer 7

They live in the polyp of the coral, the tissue of the coral

Question 8

What happens when temperatures rise or conditions change (negatively)

Answer 8

The coral becomes stressed and expels its zooxanthellae. This is known as coral bleaching. If repeated this can cause the coral to die

Question 9

What relationship do the coral and the alge have

Answer 9

A symbiotic realtionship

Question 10

How does the algae benefit the coral

Answer 10

provides food for it

Question 11

What is the value of coral reef tourism to australia

Answer 11

£6.4 billion each year

Question 12

How does the coral benefit the algae

Answer 12

Provides it protection

Question 13

What is el nino and how does it affect the coral

Answer 13

El Nino - El Nino is a event where sea temperatures rise 0.5 degrees above long term average. This event increases the sea temperature to a point where the coral becomes stressed, this causes the polyps to expel the algae. These tend to be mass bleaching events as it affects a large range of coral.

Question 14

How does tourism effect coral reefs

Answer 14

Tourism - Tourism has affected the coral in many ways, when tourists touch the coral it can harm it. Furthermore, sun lotion can also damage the coral and by allowing tourists to swim around these areas the sun lotion is released into the sea water and directly effects the coral. Tourist boats also have an effect on the coral as the fuel emissions can leak into the water and cause damage to the coral. Provided around 6.5 million jobs and estimated to add 36 billion to economies each year. Fish feeding.

Question 15

How does overfishing effect coral reefs

Answer 15

Overfishing - Netting and dynamite and forms of fishing and this leads to the destruction of the coral. Furthermore, fish and corals have a symbiotic relationship as corals act as a nursery for the fish and protect them from predators. If you damage the coral then fish stocks will subsequently decrease. This is done to sustain exports and fuel local economies though this is devastating to the coral. The fish stop algae from over growing and keeps the growth in check in return fr the nurseries and without this could limit the corals access to sunlight. Can effect the trophic

Question 16

How does ocean acidity effect coral reefs

Answer 16

Ocean Acidity - As carbon dioxide emissions rise more of this carbon dioxide dissolves in the oceans, this causes acidity to increase. For the Zooxanthellae to survive the water to needs to be at a certain ph and by changing this PH the coral could become stressed and the algae would be expelled causing the coal to die. Corals loose the optimal conditions.

Question 17

How does global warming effect coral reefs

Answer 17

Global Warming - As global temperatures increase due to increased carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels a cascade of effects bombard the coral. Firstly this causes sea levels to rise as the ice caps in the Antarctic melt into the oceans which increases the depth coral are below the surface which therefore means they have less access to sunlight which can again cause the coral to die. Furthermore it increase global sea temperatures every year, the higher these temperatures get the bigger the bleaching events are going to be till there is no coral next.

Question 18

How does algal blooms effect coral reefs

Answer 18

Algal blooms - Algal blooms often occur from leaking of pollution into oceans that can feed the algae. Moreover over fishing can cause the loss of algae eating fish species which can allow for algae populations to explode. These algae can also cause more harmful microbes of the water as they feed of this algae. These microbes then endanger the corals as they respire and depleting oxygen supplies or by introducing diseases. This can cause the coral to die off

Question 19

How does predation effect coral reefs

Answer 19

Predation - This is where predators for the coral feed of its soft inner tissue and can eventually lead to the destruction of the coral. One type of predator for the coral is parrot fish which have adapted to feed of the coral.

Question 20

Hows does onshore development effect coral reefs

Answer 20

On shore development - Can cause increased levels of: Sedimentation, sewage effluent/leaking into water and other dangerous chemicals entering the water. Oil spills can widely effect the coral as it can damage reproduction and growth and kill fish species and their symbiotic relationship

Question 21

How does drainage basins effect coral reefs

Answer 21

Drainage basins - Allows chemicals and loose soil to flow into the oceans which can increase the turbidity of the water and stress the corals. Causes sedimentation, this increases the turbidity of the water reducing the amount of sunlight that can reach the coral. This can cause the algae to die as it can not photosynthesise and therefore kill the coral. If antibiotics leak into the water from pharmaceuticals it can damage the protective mucus coating on the coral.

Question 22

How does desalination effect coral reefs

Answer 22

Desalination - Can elevate salinity and release harmful chemicals used in the process. Therefore this would alter the optimal conditions of the coral and lead to it stressing.

Question 23

How is the coral reef being managed (great barrier reef)

Answer 23

Reef Guardian school - educating kids about how to protect coral reefs, how they work etc. Over 350,000 students educated so far.

Been allocated as international heritage site by unessco

Question 24

What are MPAs

Answer 24

Marine protected areas

Question 25

How do MPAs help coral

Answer 25

don’t allow fishing which preserves biodiversity and limits the impact of tourism

Question 26

WHy in practice do MPAs not work

Answer 26

As pollution in other areas can just enter the MPA and just affect the coral anyway. Cost a lot to police

Question 27

How many people visit the Great Barrier Reef each year

Answer 27

over 2million people

Question 28

How is the el nino event impacting the coral reef

Answer 28

causes 0.5 degree rise in temperature

Question 29

How many river basins drain into the Great Barrier Reef

Answer 29

35

Question 30

How much has sediment inflow increased into the catchment

Answer 30

10*

Question 31

Who monitors the MPA in australia

Answer 31

MArine park authority

Question 32

How many fish species are in the great barrier reef

Answer 32

over 1500

Question 33

What is the COT

Answer 33

the crown of thrawns- they feed on the coral

Question 34

How many jobs does the great barrier reef support

Question 35

What locale scale management have they done inland

Answer 35

worked with farmers to prevent chemicals entering the draiange basins, such as the burdekin cane farmers

Question 36

What locale scale monitoring is taking place at the reefs

Answer 36

coral watch - provide easy to use equipment to locals to measure coral health which can be uploaded online

Question 37

How much coral in the great barrier reef has escaped bleaching

Answer 37

2% since 1998