CORAL REEFS

Francesca Rebecchi, Leeam Robinson, Shannon Lamont

WHERE IS ECOSYSTEM LOCATED?

• CORAL REEFS ARE FOUND NEAR EQUATOR

• NORTH OF EQUATOR IS TROPIC OF CANCER

• ONE CORAL REEF IS LOCATED IN HAWAII

DESCRIBE THE ABIOTIC FACTORS OF YOUR ECOSYSTEM

• TEMPERATURE IS BETWEEN 64 DEGREES F, 88 DEGREES F.

• SOIL IS SANDY

• CORAL REEFS GROW IN TROPICAL AREAS

PRODUCER: ALGAE. HOW DOES YOUR PRODUCER RELY ON OTHER ORGANISMS

IN THE CORAL REEF TO SURVIVE?

• POLYPS DEPEND ON ALGAE TO KEEP THEM FROM STRESS

• ALGAE NEEDS CORAL FOR A HOME FOR NUTRIENTS

• CORAL GIVES CARBON DIOXIDE

HOW DO OTHER ORGANISMS OF YOUR ECOSYSTEM RELY ON YOUR PRODUCER TO

SURVIVE?

• FISH EAT ALGAE TO GAIN ENERGY

• SEAHORSES NEED ALGAE FOR CAMOUFLAGE

• MORAY EELS MAKE HOMES IN ALGAE

HOW DO HUMANS AFFECT YOUR ECOSYSTEM?

• HUMANS DUMP WASTE IN WATER

• HUMANS POISON WATER WITH CYANIDE

• HUMANS DROP DYNAMITE IN WATER

• PEOPLE TAKE SHELLS FROM REEFS

• DUMP SEWAGE - ALGAE GROWS FAST WITCH CAN KILL REEFS

• OVER FISHING EQUALS MANY CROWN OF THORN STARFISH – OVER POPULATE AND KILL CORAL REEFS

• FISHERMEN SHOOT POISON TO GET FISH AND THEN SELL THEM FOR SEAFOOD

CHOOSE ONE BIOTIC OR ABIOTIC FACTOR IN YOUR ECOSYSTEM & DESCRIBE HOW A CHANGE IN ONE OF THESE COULD YOUR

ECOSYSTEM.

CHANGE: ALGAE DECREASES

•IF ALGAE WERE DECREASED CORAL POLYPS WOULD DIE

•IF ALGAE WERE DECREASED FISH WOULD GET SICK

•IF ALGAE WERE DECREASED CORAL POLYPS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR HARD EXOSKELETONS

OTHER INTERESTING FACTS:

• CORAL POLYPS CANNOT MAKE REEFS IN FRESH WATER

• THE GREAT BARRIER REEF IS SO BIG IT CAN BE SEEN FROM THE MOON

• PEARLS CAN BE FOUND IN THE GIANT CLAM THAT FORMS ON THE CORAL REEF.

SOURCES USED

GIBBONS, GAIL. CORAL REEFS. NEW YORK: 2007. PRINT.

LEVY, JANEY. DISCOVERING CORAL REEFS. NEW YORK: 2008. PRINT.

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