Coral Reef

Tropical coral reefs

most biodiverse marine community

30 degrees north and south

laltitudes where tropical coral reefs are found

20 degrees

temperature that tropical coral reefs thrive in (stable)

west currents of gyres

where on a gyre would tropical coral reefs be found (warm side, opposite to kelps)

35 degrees

max temperature for tropical coral reefs before symbiotic relationships start to die

higher salinity

what is a result of the coral reefs being atht e equator where there is warmer weather and more evaporation

subtidal

What tidal zone are tropical coral reefs found in?

cnidocytes

cells that hold nematocyst in corals polyps

zooplankton

the prey of corals

zooxanthellae

what tropical corals form a symbiotic relationship with that is essential to them

coral bleaching

when zooxanthellae die off and tropical corals loose their color from them (the first sign of heat stress)

budding

name of asexual reproduction tropical corals do

broadcast spawning

name of sexual reproduction tropical corals do

calyx

plase where the polyp of a coral sits (cup shape)

Theca

everything below/around the calyx that is stoney from calcium carbonate

compact/massive

shape that is stable/slow growth/reef creators

branching

shape that is fragile/rapid growth/creates niches

hermatypic

reef builder coral that secrete calcium carbonate (stony corals)

scleractinian

stony/true corals that are reef builders

ahermatipic

any non-reef building coral (soft corals)

deep sea coral reefs

more fragile corals found at a deeper depth

lack zooxanthellae

what makes deep sea corals the most different from tropical

suspension feeding and diffusion

tactics of deep sea corals to feed/obtain nutrients (two)

coralline algae

another organism that can produce CaCO3 for a good reef bed

bioerosion

the process of pieces being scraped off the reef by fish/urchin

refreshes reef

positive side of bioerosion

prevents photosynthesis and the ability of larvae to attatch

what happens when sediment covers corals (two things)

high nutrient levels

what is something that corals are HIGHLY susceptible to

reef flat

zone closest to land that has the lagoon and back reef

lagoon zone

soft substrate bed with more algae and wave protection from reef crest (waves)

more runnof

what is an additional stress due to a zone being closer to land

back reef

section behind the reef crest with more stones/boulders and minimmal wave action

reef crest

middle coral zone that protects others from waves but is high in action itself

algae

what can take over if the reef crest is too stressful for corals due to wave action and exposure to air?

for reef zone

coral zone farthest from land with the buttress and reef wall

butress

takes wave impact, gradually gets deeper and the more coral is found at shallower lighter zones (upper fore reef zone)

reef wall

drop off zone where there are now more sponges than corals (lower fore reef zone)

fringing reef

surrounding/offshore from an island with a small/no lagoon and a long reef flat

barrier reef

island slightly sunk creating a lagoon with the reef surrounding that

spur and groove

found on reef slope due to wave and wind action

atoll

island is fully gone and patchy small islands are left that surround a big lagoon, the reefs in between these

coral and gall crab

commensalism example for corals (one benefits, other in unaffected)

coral and flatworm

parasitic relationship with coral where the coral gets eaten

space/light

big stress in coral leading to some eating each other, fast growth, blocking out others light, and shape changing

pre-settlement

hypothesis that says corals come from larvae settlement that was due to the presence of fish or not

post-settlement

hypothesis that says corals come from the ability to compete for resources