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Apologia module 11 coral reefs

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  • Where is an algal ridge located and what creates it?
    It is made up of coralline algae. It is on the windward side of an atoll because it can withstand the wind and waves. It can grow up to the surface of the water
  • What is a Spicule?
    internal limestone spine that give soft coral rigidity
  • Why do corals and other organisms flourish in clear warm waters where there is scarce nutritional plankton?
    The reef makes the best use of its resources, such as recycling wastes.Making it nearly self sufficient - mutualistic relationships make for an efficient habit
  • What symbiotic relationship are Remoras involved in?
    mutualism: remoras eat food the sharks drop and are protected because most fish avoid sharks, and they eat parasites and other debris off the shark.
  • What is A?
    coralite cup
  • What does Leeward mean?
    The side that is sheltered from the wind. Opposite is windward 
  • what is an Atoll?
    is a ring-shaped coral reef including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.
  • List the three regions of a fringe reef from the seaward side to the land and describe then.
    1. fore reef slope,very steep2reef crest.Most coral growth. >light and currents wash away sediment3.reef flat-often exposed exposed during low tide,..
  • How does and atoll form?
    1underwater volcano/seamount.2.coral begins to grow on hard surfaces,3.dormant volcano sinks.4. leaving behind a fringing reef-barrier reef-atoll.
  • How do gyres affect where coral reefs will form?
    Coral needs warm clear water. The gyres in some areas bring cool water into tropical latitudes.
  • Coral are in phylum Cnidaria, Which makes them similar to what other organism?
    jellyfish
  • What kind of symbiotic relationship are Clownfish involved in? and with what other organism?
    mutualism: clownfish is protected by the stinging tentacles of the anemone and the anemone gets food from fish the clownfish attract and their waste.
  • Why do corals produce mucous?
    To trap food and bring it to their mouth, protection from desiccation, pathogens, to trap sediment and send it away from their mouth.
  • How does coralline algae aid in reef building?
    Coralline algae is an encrusting algae. It grows over loose rubble substrate covering it with a hard protective cover of calcium carbonate
  • What symbiotic relationship are wrasse involved in?
    Cleaner shrimp and fish (wrasses): the cleaners get food and the cleaned get cleaned of parasites and other debris that clings to them
  •  What is the cup shaped calcium skeleton that a coral polyp sits in called?
    Corallite cup
  • What is coral bleaching? Why is called bleaching.
    When a coral is stressed, it expels it's zoothanthellae. zoothanthellae give coral their color, so when they are expelled, the coral is white
  • What is Coralline Algae?
    an algae that creates a hard substrate over sediment and rubble, creating a hard substrate for coral to grow on
  • What are the two major primary producers on a coral reef? 
    Zooxanthellae and seaweed 
  • How does the “Coreolis effect” affect reef formation? 
    It pushes cooler polar air into tropical regions, such as the western coast of south American and Africa.
  •  What is this pattern called and what causes it?
    Spur and Groove, strong winds and currents cause it.
  • Why doesn't seaweed over grow a coral reef?
    The area is a low nutrient area, and predators eat it (over growth can occur from fertilizer run off or a lack of predators)
  • What three conditions are needed for coral to grow?
    1. hard substrate, 2. warm water, 3. sunlight   
  • What type of symbiotic relationship are Zooxanthellae involved in? And with what other organism?
    mutualism - algae that photosynthesize to provide food for the coral.
  • Why are coral reefs said to be similar to a rain forest?
    Because they are both homes to such a huge variety of organisms
  • What symbiotic relationship do crown of thorns predators have with the coral reef?
    Shrimp fishes and clams that attack the crown of thorns sea star. Protection for the coral reef and the coral reef provides a safe place for them to live.
  • How and why would a coral attack a neighboring coral?
    For space and they can grow over another coral blocking it’s light, it can sting it with tentacles and damage it, or it can send out digestive filaments ...
  • What are the harpoon like filaments called and what are they used for?
    Nematocysts-stinging prey
  • Describe how boulder coral, branching coral and foliaceous coral grow. (direction)
    Boulder coral grows polyps out sideways, branching coral grows polyps out vertically, and foliaceous coral does both creating a leaf like pattern.
  • What are the three ways corals reproduce?
    Sexual-broadcast spawning. Asexual- budding, producing gemmules, or from broken off piece
  • What is the columella?
    C
  • What is a Coenosarc?
    a thin skinned tissue that connects the digestive systems of coral polyps together.
  • Why do you see so many mutualistic symbiotic relationships on the coral reef?
    cohabitation, It allows more organisms to live in the same area.
  • What else, besides warm temperatures, do coral need to grow?
    a hard surface to attach to and clear shallow water with ample light penetration
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