Coral Reefs

Question 1

What are corals

Answer 1

Tiny marine animals called polyps that form reefs when millions live together in colonies

Question 2

Coral skeletons are cups of what

Answer 2

Calcium carbonate

Question 3

Which direction does coral reefs grow

Answer 3

Upwards and outwards above the dead coral

Question 4

What relationship does coral polyps and zooxanthellae have

Answer 4

Symbiotic

Question 5

What is a symbolic relationship

Answer 5

When two organisms are dependent on each other

Question 6

Coral reefs cover what % of the ocean

Answer 6

1%

Question 7

What percentage of marine animals live in coral reefs

Answer 7

25%

Question 8

What is the structure of coral

Answer 8

Tentacles 
Soft tissue polyp 
Mouth 
Basal plate 
Rock like skeleton

Question 9

Where are coral reefs found

Answer 9

Found within 30 degrees of the equator in shallow waters up to 10m best for growth

Question 10

What three conditions need to be precise for corals to grow

Answer 10

Temperature
Light
Wave action

Question 11

What does the water temperature need to be like for coral reefs

Answer 11

Above 18 degrees
Best growth happens between 22 - 25 degrees
Corals are unable to grow in cold sea temps

Question 12

What does the light need to be like for corals to grow

Answer 12

Corals feed on plankton which needs light for photosynthesis meaning that light needs to be able to reach the plankton

Question 13

What water is best for coral growth

Answer 13

Shallow agitated water

Question 14

What does the wave action need to be like for corals to grow

Answer 14

Outer edge of reef grows highest and waves need to now break it down

Question 15

What does the salinity of the water need to be like for corals to grow

Answer 15

Salt levels are high

Between 32 - 42 psi

Question 16

What are the three types of coral reefs

Answer 16

Fringing reef
Barrier reef
Atoll

Question 17

What are the key characteristics of a fringing reef

Answer 17

Coral platform, grow out from the land

Lagoon fills area between island and reef

Lagoon less than 500m wide

Breaking waves oxygenate water for the polyps to survive

Edges of the reef slope down steeply to the sea below

Question 18

What are the key characteristics of a barrier reef

Answer 18

Always over 0.5km from the shore

Deep lagoons are often to big for polyps to live

Seaward edge of the reef is the highest part and then steeply slope down into sea

Question 19

What are the key characteristics of a atoll reef

Answer 19

Narrow, circular reefs broken by channels
Surrounding a deep circular lagoon
Very common in South Pacific Ocean

Question 20

Who develop the subsidence theory

Answer 20

Darwin

Question 21

What is Darwin’s subsidence theory

Answer 21

That all the three types of reef are linked

They start as fringing, develop into barriers and then turn into atolls over time

Question 22

How does a fringing reef form

Answer 22

Grows around newly formed island subside or sea level rises to relative to land

Question 23

How to fringing reefs turn into barrier reefs

Answer 23

Following a rise in sea level of drop in the level of land, a barrier reef is formed

Question 24

How does a atoll reef for,

Answer 24

When island suspects above the sea the atoll reef forms by the coral growing upwards and outwards covering the hard rock island

Question 25

What is the darwin Dana theory

Answer 25

As sea levels rise the reef develops into a fringing, barrier, atoll

Question 26

What is Daly’s theory

Answer 26

Sea level rise due to melting glaciers

Question 27

What is isotatic changes

Answer 27

Sea levels rises due to land sinks

Question 28

What regulating services does the coral reef provide

Answer 28

Carbon sequestration

Ocean water filtration

Question 29

What provisioning services does the coral reef provide

Answer 29

Building materials
Fish / shellfish protein for humans
Fishing industry and jobs
Medical and genetic research and products

Question 30

What cultural services does the coral reef provide

Answer 30

Aesthetic beauty
Tourism
Recreation and leisure

Question 31

What supporting services does the coral reef provide

Answer 31

A nursery for small fish, maintaining fish populations

Coastal erosion prevention