1. Motor Oil Coral Bleaching
Group 2
Karan Srivastava
Chelsea Werner
Jessica Kurth
Monica Gonzalez
Rebecca Isaacs
Gianni Benmusa

2. Symbiosis in Coral Reefs and Dinoflagellate Algae
Dinoflagellate reduce carbon compounds for metabolic functions for corals
Dinoflagellate enhance calcification for corals
Dinoflagellate mediate elemental nutritional flow for corals
Coral reefs provide safe habitat for Dinoflagellate

3. Experimental Design
Test effects of 1% water soluble part of motor oil solution on aiptasia Polyp
Tank temperature was held at 26° Celsius
Tank Salinity was held at 37 ppt
No external food source for the aiptasia polyps
Control tank was held at similar conditions

4. Measuring Coral Bleaching
Coral bleaching results in loss of algal cell count and algal pigment
Measure Zooxenthellae Cell Count density in polyp
Measure Protein Concentration in polyp
Measure amount of Chlorophyll in polyp

5. Zoox Cell Count Density Results
Day 15, 1 % motor oil solution was added
From day 15 to day 22, the cell count decreased from to 64.9 (10^6)
Day 29 cell count increased to (10^6)

6. Zooxenthellae Pictures
Day 8
Day 15
Day 22
Day 29

7. Protein Concentration
Measured from the 8th day
After 1% motor oil solution was added (Day 15 to Day 22) protein concentration dropped from to 26.5 (mg/mL)
From Day 22 to 29, protein concentration increased to (mg/mL)

8. Protein Standard Curves

9. Chlorophyll Concentration
Chlorophyll is an essential component of photosynthesis
After motor oil was added, chlorophyll concentration increased from 6.18 to (10^-8)
From day 22 to 29 chlorophyll decreased to 2.93 (10^-8)

10. Analysis of Results
The week the motor oil was introduced, there was a substantial drop in zoox cell density and protein concentration
The subsequent week, there was a significant increase in both zoox cell count density and protein concentraton
Assumption: UV rays and bacterial agents dissembled motor oil pollutants
This allowed for partial recovery (increased replication of zoox cells and increased production of protein)
Assumption: the mass of the aiptasia polyp directly corresponds with zoox cell density

11. Analysis of Results Part 2
Chlorophyll concentration per zoox cell increased from 6.18 to µg (10^-8) when motor oil was added
1st explanation : Motor oil had a delayed effect on chlorophyll concentration since concentration decreased to 2.93*10^-8 µg/ zoox cell the subsequent week
2nd explanation: Partial recovery of zoox cells due to rapid replication decreased amount of chloroplast in each cell decreasing amount of chlorophyll

12. Control comparison