Coral Synchrony: Flashcards
What are zooxanthellae?
Symbiotic algae (dinoflagellates) that live within the tissues of scleractinian corals
How do zooxanthellae contribute to coral nutrition?
Zooxanthellae provide up to 70% of the coral’s nutritional needs through photosynthesis, producing essential compounds like amino acids, carbohydrates, and glucose.
What do corals provide to zooxanthellae in return?
Corals provide zooxanthellae with a protected environment and supply them with compounds necessary for photosynthesis, including CO2 from coral respiration.
How do symbionts affect coral calcification?
Corals with zooxanthellae can deposit calcium carbonate (CaCO3) at rates up to 10 times higher than those without symbionts, a process known as light-enhanced calcification
How do zooxanthellae promote CaCO3 precipitation?
Zooxanthellae remove CO2 from the calcification site through photosynthesis, further promoting CaCO3 precipitation.
What is the global significance of coral reef calcification?
Coral reefs remove approximately 700 billion kilograms of CO2 per year through calcification, making them significant contributors to the global carbon cycle.
What is coral bleaching?
Coral bleaching is a process where corals expel their zooxanthellae due to environmental stress, particularly rising sea temperatures.
How does coral bleaching affect corals?
Bleaching causes corals to lose both their color and their primary source of nutrition. Prolonged bleaching often leads to widespread mortality.
How might climate change affect zooxanthellae distribution?
Climate change may alter the distribution and diversity of zooxanthellae, potentially shifting the composition of symbiont communities within corals.
Can corals adapt to climate change?
Some corals may adapt by associating with more heat-tolerant symbiont clades, but the rate of environmental change may outpace the ability of corals to adapt.
Why is understanding the coral-algal symbiosis important?
Understanding this symbiosis is vital for developing effective conservation strategies to protect coral reef ecosystems in the face of global environmental change.
