Conservation Coral Reef

8/3/2019 Conservation Coral Reef

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Conservation:

Coral Reef


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Coral reefs are warm, clear, shallow

ocean habitats that are rich in life.

Coral reefs most commonly live in tropical

waters, but deep water and cold watercorals exist on a much smaller scale.


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Tropical corals do not grow at depths of

over50 m (165 ft).

Temperature has less of an effect on the

distribution of tropical coral, but it is

generally accepted that they do not existin waters below 18 C, and that the

optimum temperature is 26-27 C for most

coral reefs.


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Coral reefs are estimated to cover

284,300 square kilometers, with:

-the Indo-Pacific region (including the Red

Sea, Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and

the Pacific): 91.9%

-Southeast Asia: 32.3%

-the Pacific including Australia: 40.8%.

-Atlantic and Caribbean: 7.6%.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Linckia_Starfish.JPG


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Coral reefs are found almost exclusively in the

seas and oceans between the Tropic of

Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. In this region, water temperatures are warm and

stable year-round (64 - 86 degrees Fahrenheit,

18-30 degrees Celsius), and longer days bathe

the waters with sunlight.

The reef's massive structure is formed from

coral polyps, tiny animals that live in colonies.
http://var/www/apps/conversion/current/tmp/scratch14715/What%20is%20Coral%20Polyp.ppthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:EilatFringingReef.jpghttp://var/www/apps/conversion/current/tmp/scratch14715/What%20is%20Coral%20Polyp.ppt


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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coral_reef_locations.jpg


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Human activity may represent the greatest threat

to coral reefs.

In particular, global warming, coral mining,

pollution (organic and non-organic/chemical),

over-fishing, blast fishing and the digging ofcanals and access into islands and bays are

serious threats to these ecosystems.

Agricultural runoff may also threaten reefs byencouraging the growth of harmful algae.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coral-reef-bioerosion.jpg


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Functions of coralFunctions of coralreef to biodiversityreef to biodiversity


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1. Support extraordinary biodiversity

although they are located in nutrient-poorwaters.

The process ofnutrient cyclingbetween corals,zooxanthellae, and other reef organismsexplains why reefs flourish in these waters:recycling ensures that fewer nutrients areneeded overall to support the community.

Cyanobacteria provide soluble nitrates for thereef via nitrogen fixation.


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Corals absorb nutrients, including inorganicnitrogen and phosphorus, directly from the

water, and they feed upon zooplankton that passthe polyps via water motion.

Thus, primary productivity on a coral reef is veryhigh, which results in high biomass per squaremeter, at 5-10g C m-2 day-1.

Producers in coral reef communities include thesymbiotic zooxanthellae, sponges, marineworms, seaweed, coralline algae (especiallysmall types called turf algae).


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- fish that adjust the coral (such as Labridae

and parrotfish).

These types of fish feed either on small

animals living near the coral, seaweed, or

on the coral itself.

2.Home to a variety of tropical or reef2.Home to a variety of tropical or reef

fish.fish.


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Serranidae cultivate the seaweed by removing

creatures feeding on it (as sea urchins), andthey remove inedible seaweeds.


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Fish that eat coral include parrotfish andbutterflyfish.

ParrotfishButterflyfish


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-fish that swim nearby the reef.

Predatory fish

Examples: Pompanos


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Groupers


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Horse mackerels

certain types of shark
http://www.yunphoto.net/en/photobase/hr/hr2106.html


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There are fish that eat:

Seagrass

snapper

PlanktonCaesio


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3.Reefs are also home to a largevariety of other organisms.

Sponges Cnidarians Worms

Crustaceans Molluscs Echinoderms

Sea squirts Turtles Sea snakes sponges


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Aside from humans, mammals are rare on coral

reefs, with visiting cetaceans such as dolphinsbeing the main exception.

A few of these varied species feed directly oncorals, while others graze on algae on the reefand participate in complex food webs.


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4. Other organisms have their partin the food-chain of the reef.

For example, sea urchins eat seaweed, whilethe Hawksbill turtle eats sponges.Nudibranchia eat sponges too, as well as sea

anemones. Dotidae and sea slugs eat seaweed.


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5. Habitat of invertebrates

A number of invertebrates, collectively calledcryptofauna, inhabit the coral skeletalsubstrate itself, either boring into theskeletons (through the process of bioerosion)

or living in pre-existing voids and crevices.


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Those settling on the reef include many other

species, particularly crustaceans andpolychaeteworms

crustaceanspolychaete worms


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6. Dissipate wave energy6. Dissipate wave energy

Provide suitable environment for sea grassand mangrove colonization.

Protect them from erosion and during strongwave action.

In turn, sea grass and mangroves improvewater quality by stabilizing and reducingconcentration of sediment and nutrients.


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7. Natural energy flow between system7. Natural energy flow between systemand creates corridor for transientand creates corridor for transient

species.species. Close association between coral reef,

mangroves, sea grass.


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8. As a cure - medicine8. As a cure - medicine

Some coral reefs we are studying may give usnew medicines to treat cancer, protectionfrom too much sunlight and antibiotics tofight infections.
http://images.google.com.my/imgres?imgurl=http://www.what-is-this.com/images/blogs/10-2006/coral-reef-89171.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/archives/Science-blog/1834351313-Nov-18-2006.html&usg=__rq_S37ZJcm-1NHW9e87OsJsYxRM=&h=305&w=460&sz=23&hl=en&start=9&um=1&tbnid=SmprlvP4FgDFBM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=128&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcoral%2Breef%2Bas%2Bmedicine%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26um%3D1http://images.google.com.my/imgres?imgurl=http://drandrewweil.com/images/medicine/medicine_250x251.jpg&imgrefurl=http://drandrewweil.com/result.php%3FKeywords%3Dcoral&usg=__BYC5fug-94chSoCROYfaDjjRYY8=&h=251&w=250&sz=8&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=0x5AzdwJzL2CZM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcoral%2Breef%2Bas%2Bmedicine%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26um%3D1


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Conservation Coral Reef

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