Selected Habitat Tropical Coral Reef

Question 1

Ecological feat

Answer 1

Nutrient Deficient water - productivity low inter species relations use nutrients effectively allow high biomass thrive

Question 2

Coral nutrition

Answer 2

Cilia - finger like projections on coral polyp trap plankton floating past polyp pass down to stomach.
Nematocysts- stinging cells harpoon plankton floating past polyp carried by cilia to stomach
Symbiotic algae zooxanthallae- live in coral polyp photosynthesis + efficient nutrient recycling nutrients -CO2 excreted by polyps absorbed by algae photosynthesis and growth
Algae produce glucose and O2 for polyps (95% food).
Algae have protected habitat and supply of nutrients.
Surplus CO2 incorp into calcium carbonate forms coral. Wastes from polyps —> nutrients needed by algae may not be able to absorb from nutrient-deficient seawater.

Question 3

Reef building corals

Answer 3

Species of coral secrete limestone base continually added to- build to reef.
Cnidarians ie. sea fans + soft coral don’t produce hard exoskeleton don’t add to reef

Question 4

Abiotic conditions

Answer 4

Light - symbiotic algae require bright sunlight - tropics shallow 12hrs almost every day.
Temp - warm constant 25-29*c
Immersion - prevent drying, not deep (no light) so found where small tidal range so can live near surface won’t high tide uncovering at low tide.
Turbidity - low. Turbidity stop light penetration. Suspended solids settle cilia block stomach entrance. Coral often rely on mangroves/ sea grass trapping eroded soil stop settling on reef.
Salinity - polyps can’t reg h2o conc in cells rely on salinity narrow range if not osmosis in/out kill em

Question 5

Importance

Answer 5

Over 1/4 all marine species and valuable for resisting env change.

• fisheries - fish crustaceans molluscs food
• medical discoveries- no spines, teeth, hard shell - toxic chems useful as medicines (chems sponges from coral Caribbean Sea - antiviral drug AZT - HIV /AIDS)
• climate control -