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Ocean Biology > Tropical Communities > Flashcards

Tropical Communities Flashcards

1
Q

what is the global distribution of coral reefs?

A

tropical
- tropics of cancer and capricorn (broadly)
BUT @ higher latitudes

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2
Q

why reefs not found between the tropics in certain locations?
e.g./hint South America

A

water currents
deep ocean upwelling - cold water
cold water surface currents

TOO COLD FOR REEF BUILDING CORALS

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3
Q

what are coral reefs composed of?

A

CaCO3

skeletons of colonial polyps

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4
Q

what are polyps?

A

anemone-like organisms with a CaCO3 skeleton

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5
Q

what are responsible for most of the CaCO3 secretion in coral reefs?

A

stony corals
Phylum: Cnidaria
order: Scleractinia
a few mm wide

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6
Q

what does ‘Hermatypic’ mean?

A

reef-building (corals)

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7
Q

what are hexa-corals?

A

have 6-sided radial symmetry

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8
Q

what are octa-corals?

A

have 8-sided radial symmetry

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9
Q

what is an example of hexa-corals?

A

stony corals

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10
Q

what is the organism with which reef-building corals form a symbiosis?

A

symbiotic zooxanthellae

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11
Q

Example of a species of coral which undergoes sexual reproduction: spawning

A

Montastrea cavernosa

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12
Q

what is the typical lifecycle of coral?

A
  1. eggs in water
  2. planula larva
  3. settles down on seabed (after couple of days) and develops into polyp
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13
Q

what is a common genus of branching coral

A

acropora

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14
Q

colony growth forms

A 
branching 
massive
foliaceous 
pillar 
solitary 
plate 
encrusting
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15
Q

main framework coral of reef in Pacfic and Indian Ocean

A

Family: Poritidae = main mass of reef

HUGE

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16
Q

main framework coral of reef in western Atlantic Ocean (e.g. Caribbean)

A

Family: Faviidae

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17
Q

what are hydrozoa?

A

another group of cnidarians (reef-building coral also in.)

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18
Q

which family of hydrozoa are CaCO3 secreting?

A

millepridae

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19
Q

what are ‘soft’ corals?

A

no external CaCo3 skeleton

- may have CaCO3 spicules

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20
Q

different species which make up reefs

A 
branching coral 
plate/encrusting coral 
fire corals 
soft corals 
sponges 
giant clams 
fishes 
invertebrates
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21
Q

types of reef

A

fringing reef
barrier reef
atolls
patch reefs

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22
Q

what are fringing reefs?

A
  • grow almost up to shore line

- some secrete mucus to survive exposure periods

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23
Q

what are barrier reefs?

A

futher away from shore

- land between shore and reef has subsided due to tetonic activity leaving gap of deeper water

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24
Q

what are atoll reefs?

A

circular formations surrounded by very deep water

- old extinct volcano island sinks and collapses into see leaving rim

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25
Q

what are patch reefs?

A

small structures, found within lagoons

26
Q

why are coral reefs more productive than tropical rain-forests?

A

warmer conditions, nutrients recycled wells, good at catching nutrients that goes by

27
Q

case study of coral reef-algae phase shift

A

Hurricane Allan - Caribbean

- rainfall reduced water salinity

28
Q

what is thermal stress?

A

when temperatures rise 1 degree Celsius above highest temperature expected that year

29
Q

where are mangroves found?

A

sub-tropical and tropical (tropics of cancer and capricorn) sheltered shorelines

30
Q

mangrove tree adaptations

A
  1. erenchyma
  2. don’t tend to have a deep tap root
  3. buttress roots (prop)
  4. salt elimination
  5. propagule and seedlings
31
Q

what salt elimination adaptations can mangrove trees have?

A
  1. secrete salt from underside of leaves
  2. nectaries - glands which secrete salt
  3. salt washed from leaves
32
Q

what are erenchyma?

A

soft and spongy tissue - allows aeration (O2 to roots)

33
Q

Mangrove habitat organisms

A
  1. mud lobster
  2. crabs
  3. molluscs
  4. termites
  5. fish
  6. reptiles
  7. birds
  8. mammals
  9. seagrass
34
Q

what are the different roles of crabs in mangrove environments?

A

feed on algae and detritus on mangrove roots

some shred dead leaves - adding to sediment

35
Q

what propagule and seedling adaptations do mangrove trees have?

A

continue to develop as travel in water

at point in development when settle bottom become heavy and as tide goes out, digs into sediment

36
Q

what are the two forms coral can take?

A

polyp cups or corallites in massive skeleton

37
Q

which type of zooxanthellae are found in coral-algae symbiosis?

A

dinoflagellates

38
Q

where are the symbiotic zooxanthellae found in the coral?

A

in cells in the gastrodermal layer

39
Q

what is a conspicuous member of Atlantic coral reefs?

A

Fire Coral

- strong piercing (painful) nematocysts

40
Q

what are some key reef echinoderms?

A

sea urchins and starfish

41
Q

example of exploitative competition between corals

A

branching coral grows faster than encrusting or massive coral
- branching coral extends self over encrusting and massive coral, shading them out

42
Q

example of interference competition between corals

A

some slow-growing coral species can extend filaments from gastrovascular cavities that, when encounter living tissue from another colony (of a different species), digest the tissue (kill)

43
Q

what are cryptofauna on coral reefs

A

sponges/bryozoans/tunicates - small colonial (non-coral/algae) encrusting invertebrates

44
Q

role of damselfishes in coral reefs

A

have algae gardens - no coral can survive there

45
Q

role of encrusting red coralline algae in coral reefs

A

maintain integrity of coral reef, cement various pieces together with CaCO3

46
Q

role of green coralline algae in coral reefs

A

significant contributors to sand

47
Q

other roles of algae on coral reefs

A

some bore into coral skeletons - reef break down

create shade

food

48
Q

what are the four models of fish species diversity and community structure in coral reefs?

A

competition model
lottery hypothesis
predation-disturbance model
recruitment limitation

49
Q

what is the coral reef fish species diversity and community structure problem?

A

not enough diversity in habitats to explain high diversity of reef fish

50
Q

what are the two factors that the coral reef fish species diversity and community structure models consider?

A

importance of recruitment processes VS importance of postrecruitment competition

51
Q

what mangrove grows at water’s edge?

A

red mangrove

52
Q

what are mangroves?

A

salt-tolerant trees and shrubs

a group of different taxa of trees - not an official groups itself

53
Q

where are mangroves found?

A

between the mean tidal level and extreme higher water of spring tides

54
Q

where to mangroves grow?

A

waterlogged soil
saline environments
muddy sediments

55
Q

what is the soil of mangroves like?

A

anaerobic (bacteria)

56
Q

what are hard bottom mangroves?

A

live in shallow sediment

- overlies reef/rocky areas

57
Q

which habitats can magroves be found in?

A

deltas, estuaries, rivers, sheltered bays, lagoons, lee shores of islands (sheltered locations)

58
Q

why can’t mangroves tolerate wave action?

A

would strip away soil from around roots

59
Q

magroves are a ______ systesm

A

detritus

60
Q

seagrasses are…

A

submerged angiosperms

Ocean Biology (13 decks)

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