Mangroves and Coral Reefs Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering the biological characteristics, ecological roles, and classifications of mangroves and coral reefs based on the Marine Biology lecture transcript.

Mangroves (mangal forest)

'Terrestrial' salt tolerant trees characterized as being hot, intertidal, low wave-energy, and part of a sedimentary system with approximately $60-70$ species.

Pneumatophores

Also known as snorkel-roots, these specialized structures allow mangroves to exchange gases in sedimentary environments.

Prop-roots

Also known as stilts or stilt-roots, these provide structural support for mangrove trees.

Ecosystem Services

Benefits provided by mangroves categorized into Provisioning (e.g. fish), Regulating (e.g. climate), Supporting (e.g. habitat), and Cultural (e.g. educational).

Avicennia marina var. resinifera

The single mangrove species found in New Zealand, which grows $10\,m$ tall in the north and $0.5\,m$ in the south at $38^\circ S$.

Scleractinia

The order of stony or hard corals that are responsible for building coral reefs.

Hermatypic

A term used to describe reef-building corals.

Zooxanthellae

Photosynthetic dinoflagellates that live in a mutualistic relationship within coral polyps.

Nematocysts

Stinging structures found in coral polyps used to catch zooplankton and detritus.

Mesenterial filaments

Structures used by corals to digest organic material and as a mechanism for competition against other corals.

Stenohaline

Organisms, such as corals, that can only tolerate a narrow range of salinity, typically around $35$.

Coral feeding mechanisms

Methods including catching zooplankton with tentacles or mucus, photosynthesis via zooxanthellae, digesting organic material with mesenterial filaments, and absorbing dissolved organic matter with mucus.

Fringing reef

A type of coral reef that grows in close proximity to the shoreline.

Barrier reef

A coral reef type separated from the land by a lagoon, as seen in the Great Barrier Reef.

Atoll

A ring-shaped coral reef system that evolves from a fringing reef, a process described by Darwin.

Sweeper tentacles

Specialized 'attack' tentacles used by corals to compete with and damage neighboring organisms.

Coral bleaching

A condition where stressed corals lose their zooxanthellae, often due to heatwaves; repeated bleaching can lead to coral death.

Great Barrier Reef

The world's largest reef system, spanning $2,600\,km$ and comprising $3,000$ reefs and $900$ islands over an area of $348,700\,km^2$.

Halimeda

A type of seaweed that acts as a primary producer within coral reef ecosystems.