Coral reefs and_their_marine_families

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Coral Reefs and their Marine
Families
Reef IQ

New Vocabulary
New vocabulary will be highlighted in green. Please write
down each new word for review at the end of the class.
polyps algae
ecosystem habitat
zooxanthellae tentacles

Introduction to Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are
amazing, natural
wonders that live in
the warm waters of
the tropics,
providing habitat
for thousands of
marine creatures.

Corals- ANIMAL or PLANT?

Coral is an ANIMAL!
• Coral is actually an animal.
• They live attached to the sea floor.
• They are the builders of the reef!
• A single coral animal is called a coral
polyp.
• The coral polyps live together in
colonies.
The coral
polyps live
inside here

Polyps Outside!Polyps Inside
Tiny, little animals!

What do they eat?
• To get energy to build the coral reef the corals need to
eat.
• The polyps use their tentacles to catch tiny animals
that float in the water called zooplankton.
• But corals get MOST of their food from marine plants
that actually live inside the coral!
A coral
polyp

What do they eat?
• A microscopic type of algae
called zooxanthellae
actually live inside corals,
just under their skin.
• Corals are solar-powered
just like trees on land. The
algae that live inside the
coral soak up the sun all
day - just like sunbathers on
the beach.
A coral polyp

Zooxanthellae
Coral polyp
Coral colony
Corals
Coral
Reef

• The Great Barrier
Reef is the largest
system in the world and
can be seen from outer
space.
•Corals produce a hard
skeleton that forms the
actual structure of the
reef.
•Coral reefs have the
second highest
biodiversity after
rainforests.
Interesting Coral Reef Facts

Why are coral reefs important?
• Habitat: They are home to
33% of all known fish species.
•Nursery: And a nursery ground
for over 25% of all marine
species.
Photo by J. RandallPhoto by Dee Wescott
Photo by MacGillivray Freeman Films

Why are coral reefs important?
•Income: they provide millions of
dollars of income annually for
people living by coral reefs.
•Medical Research: coral reefs have
the potential to be used as medical
cures to treat cancer, heart disease,
HIV and arthritis among others.
• Protection: they protect 20% of
the world’s coast from wave erosion.
• Food: they are a food source
for millions of people.
• Tourism: coral reefs attract
tourists from all over the
world.

What is a healthy environment
for coral reefs?
• Sunlight
• A certain salinity
• Low nutrient, clear water
• Water temperature 18-29 ºC
• Water circulation
Photo by MacGillivray Freeman Films

What are the man-made threats to
coral reefs?
• Global warming leading to
coral bleaching.
• Runoff of chemicals and
nutrients from land
• Sedimentation.
• Rubbish including marine
debris
• Overfishing
• Physical damage from
tourists and fishermen
• Pollution from untreated
sewage and oil. An example of coral bleaching.

What plants live on coral reefs?
Algae - lots
of
different
types!

•
What animals live on the reef?
Turtles!

Crayfish
What animals live on coral reefs?

Hard coral

Giant clams

Parrotfish

Butterflyfish

Surgeonfish

Damselfish

Damselfish including
Clownfish, like Nemo!

Cleaner shrimp

Sponges

Coral Trout

Sharks

THE END!
Perhaps you can
join them one day!

Coral reefs and_their_marine_families

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