CH 9-11 Environmental Science

What are 3 parts of the reef?

(A)= Reef Flat (B)= Reef Crest (C)= Reef Front or Fore Reef

What type of growth is this?

Intratentacular growth

Reef flat

shallow part between the shore and the reef crust. Bottom is mostly sand and coral rubble, with nay reef framework filled in. Often see sea grasses and sea cucumbers. As water gets deeper, begin to see staghorn corals and damselfishes. (plants of the reef flat caulerpa, mastophora and hydroclathrus)

Reef Crest

where waves break at edge of reef, may be exposed at very low tide. live coral is essentially intertidal, so often has algae on the actual crest. is higher than the reef flat.

Reef Front or Fore Reef

coral slopes steeply into deep water. Often very productive, with lots of fishes.

Where does the sand from beaches, reef flats, and deep reef slopes come from?

1. Coral skeletons
2. Shells
3. Calcified and coralline algae (e.g. Halimeda)
4. Star sand (foraimiferans)

Bio-erosion

wearing away of rock by grazing organisms (parrotfish, limpets, chitons . (takes place at sea level, so indicates where sea level used to be)

Corals are Colonial

Usually asexual reproduction. Share common "skin" and skeleton calcium carbonate. Growth of the colony occurs in 2 ways extratentacular growth(outside tentacles) and intratentacular growth(inside tentacles)

Ciguatera

a type of food poisoning that comes from eating reef fish. Is rarely fatal, but produces unpleasant and long-lasting digestive and neurological symptoms. The most distinctive symptom is a reversal of hot and cold sensations. the toxin comes from Gambierdiscus toxicus. Toxins dissolve in fats and lipids. Held in animal tissues.

Biological magnification

toxic concentration increases as you move higher up the food chain.

What is DDT?

Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) is a insecticide that caused a problem to populations of predatory birds, such as eagles, pelicans and hawks.

What are the values of reefs?

mnemonic aid(i.t.s.p.b.s)
1. Important fisheries
2. Tourism
3. Souvenirs
4. Protection from waves
5. Building materials
6. Sources of potential drugs

What are the classifications of the open ocean?

1. The depth
2. How far from shore
3. Penetration of sunlight

3 types of hydrothermal vents

1. Black smokers (sea floor spreading)
2. White smokers (plate subduction)
3. Cold seeps

Black smokers (sea floor spreading)

Release hot water (360-400 degrees Celsius) does not turn into steam because of pressure. Water is saturated with H2(Hydrogen), CH4 (Methane) and minerals. Cold seawater seeps into the crust and is superheated, dissolves minerals ( mostly sulfides and iron) and rises out the main chimney.

White smokers(plate subduction)

Release hot water (40-90 degrees Celsius) does not turn in steam because of pressure.

Hydrothermal vents ecosystems

depends on chemicals in the water for both energy and nutrients. Primary producers are bacteria. Both free-living and endosymbionts. Not all organisms are invertebrates (

What are the 6 major causes of extinction?

mnemonic aid (HOPNIC)
1.Habitat destruction
2. Overharvesting
3. Pesticides
4. Natural disasters
5. Invasive species
6. Climate change

What are the 3 strategies in dealing with pest?

1. Biological control
2. Pesticides
3. Integrates pest management

Pests

plants, animals, or microorganisms ( diseases) that harm people value, such as crops or landscapes. (they rise rapidly, weeds for plants, plagues for if they are animals, and epidemics if they are diseases)

Chain of love (latana)

tendency to form impenetrable thorny leaves, invade pasture land, and compete with agricultural crops for water, nutrients, and light.

Biological control

to use a natural predator or diseases of the pest organisms to cut down the population.

Pesticides

essential to maintaining high agricultural productivity in mechanized, single crop agriculture. When sprayed, little of it gets to the target species. Much of it drifts onto other vegetation, people, and other nontarget species or washes into rivers and lakes.

Endangered species

Those whose populations have declined so low that they are in danger of becoming extinct.