Lesson 4: Why Should we care about Coral Reefs? Flashcards
Unit 1
1
Q
How are coral reefs formed?
A
Polyps secret calcium carbonate shells, which become coral
reefs—>become limestone rock
2
Q
Degradation & Decline
A
- Coastal Development
- Pollution
- Overfishing
Physical reaction- warmer oceans lead to coral bleaching that kills algae, thus the polyps.
Chemical reaction- Increasing ocean acidity: CO2 dissolves into ocean water producing H+ ions that cause coral decay.
3
Q
Ocean is divided into 4 areas?
A
- Atlantic
- Pacific
- Artic
- Indian
4
Q
Factors of Terrestrial Ecosystems
A
- Precipitation
- Temperature
- Climateographs
5
Q
Factors of Aquatic Ecosystems
A
- Light
- Salinity
- Dissolved oxygen (DO)
6
Q
Aquatic life zones
A
- Oceans & estuaries
- Coastal & shorelines –> wetlands
- Coral reefs
- Mangrove forests
7
Q
Freshwater life zones
A
- Lakes
- Rivers & streams
- Inland wetlands
8
Q
Phytoplankton
A
Phytoplankton —> bottom of the food chain.
9
Q
Zooplankton
A
Primary & Secondary consumers
10
Q
Ultraplankton
A
Tiny photosynthetic bacteria
11
Q
Nekton
A
Strong swimmers:
- Fish
- Turtles
- Whales
12
Q
Banthos
A
Bottom dwellers:
- Oysters
- Sea stars
- Clams
- Lobsters
- Crabs
13
Q
Decomposers
A
Mostly bacteria that break down dead organisms.
14
Q
Key Factors in the Distribution of Organisms
A
- Temperature
- Dissolved oxygen content (DO)
- Availability of Food
- Availability of light & nutrients
- Salinity
15
Q
Turbidity
A
Degree of cloudiness in water
- It inhibits photosynthesis
