1. Corals Landlords of the Reefs

2. What is a coral reef? What is a coral reef? A reef is a coral community consisting of several thousand organisms living together. A reef is a coral community consisting of several thousand organisms living together. Reefs grow very slowly over time. In fact, an inch of coral reef takes nearly 100 years to grow! Reefs grow very slowly over time. In fact, an inch of coral reef takes nearly 100 years to grow!

3. Where are Coral Reefs?

4. World wide, coral reefs cover 600,000 square miles and are home to over 500,000 species! World wide, coral reefs cover 600,000 square miles and are home to over 500,000 species!

5. So many fish live near coral reefs…

6. What’s a Polyp? The actual animal that makes up the physical coral is called a polyp. Thousands of individual polyps form a colony, which in turn forms a reef. Plants live inside of them

7. What makes the reef hard? Each individual polyp is responsible for each bump in the reef. Each individual polyp is responsible for each bump in the reef. Each polyp creates its own skeleton, usually made up of calcium carbonate (chalk), which it lives in. Each polyp creates its own skeleton, usually made up of calcium carbonate (chalk), which it lives in. Polyps are active at night. During the daytime, they retreat into their skeleton, so divers usually only see their skeletons. Polyps are active at night. During the daytime, they retreat into their skeleton, so divers usually only see their skeletons.

8. Zoo-what!?! Algae, Coral Polyps’ Tenants Inside polyps live zooxanthellae, which are algae. Inside polyps live zooxanthellae, which are algae. Zooxanthellae give corals their color. Zooxanthellae give corals their color. Since algae are plants, they use sunlight and CO 2 to make food (the process known as photosynthesis). Since algae are plants, they use sunlight and CO 2 to make food (the process known as photosynthesis).

9. Zooxanthellae Tiny plant cells called zooxanthellae live within most types of coral polyps. They provide the coral with foods resulting from photosynthesis.

10. Symbiosis: So Happy Together Two organisms living together and helping each other is called symbiosis. Two organisms living together and helping each other is called symbiosis. Zooxanthellae make oxygen, remove the polyp’s wastes, and make food for the polyp from photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae make oxygen, remove the polyp’s wastes, and make food for the polyp from photosynthesis. Coral polyps protect the zooxanthellae, release CO 2, and provide it with necessary nutrients from their own waste. Coral polyps protect the zooxanthellae, release CO 2, and provide it with necessary nutrients from their own waste.

12. Mutually Beneficial Symbiosis A Win-Win Situation Egyptian Plover bird and crocodile Egyptian Plover bird and crocodile Bumblebee and flowers Bumblebee and flowers Lichens (fungi and algae) Lichens (fungi and algae) Your intestine and bacteria Your intestine and bacteria

13. Zooxanthellae cells provide corals with pigmentation. On the left is a healthy stony coral. On the right is a stony coral that has lost its zooxanthellae cells and has taken on a bleached appearance. If a coral polyp is without zooxanthellae cells for a long period of time, it will most likely die.

15. Threats to Coral Reefs Human Contact Human Contact Runoff Water Runoff Water Sewage Sewage Cyanide Fishing Cyanide Fishing Fertilizers and Pollution Fertilizers and Pollution Blast Fishing Blast Fishing

16. Algae Growth

17. Blast Fishing

18. Bahamian Reef Survey

19. EarthWatch: San Salvador

20. Hard Corals

21. Soft Corals

24. Parasitic Symbiosis A Win-Lose Situation Tapeworms and intestines Tapeworms and intestines Ticks and dogs Ticks and dogs Mistletoe and trees Mistletoe and trees

25. How are these mutually symbiotic? Drivers and passengers in a carpool Drivers and passengers in a carpool Tenants and landlords Tenants and landlords