corals
Post on 31-Dec-2015
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CoralsCorals
Landlords of the ReefsLandlords of the Reefs
What should you know What should you know about corals?about corals?
They are animalsThey are animals Plants live inside of Plants live inside of
themthem Two kindsTwo kinds
Soft coralsSoft corals Hard corals (These Hard corals (These
build reefs!)build reefs!) They are made of They are made of
tiny polyps tiny polyps (which look (which look like upside-down like upside-down jellyfish)jellyfish)
Hard CoralsHard CoralsThe Reef BuildersThe Reef Builders
Polyps build hard Polyps build hard limestone cups limestone cups around their basesaround their bases
The cups cement The cups cement together to make a together to make a coral colonycoral colony
Reefs are made of Reefs are made of hundreds of hard hundreds of hard coral colonies next to coral colonies next to and on top of each and on top of each otherother
What’s a Polyp?What’s a Polyp?
Tentacles release Tentacles release stinging cells when stinging cells when something brushes something brushes by themby them
Polyps make their Polyps make their own limestone cup to own limestone cup to hide in during the hide in during the dayday
At night, polyps At night, polyps come out to catch come out to catch plankton floating by.plankton floating by.
Zoo-what!?! Zoo-what!?! Algae, Coral Polyps’ Algae, Coral Polyps’
TenantsTenants
Inside polyps live zooxanthellae, Inside polyps live zooxanthellae, which are algae.which are algae.
Zooxanthellae give corals their Zooxanthellae give corals their color.color.
Since algae are plants, they use Since algae are plants, they use sunlight and COsunlight and CO22 to make food (the to make food (the process known as photosynthesis).process known as photosynthesis).
Symbiosis:Symbiosis:So Happy TogetherSo Happy Together
Two organisms living together and Two organisms living together and helping each other is called helping each other is called symbiosissymbiosis.. Zooxanthellae make oxygen, remove the Zooxanthellae make oxygen, remove the
polyp’s wastes, and make food for the polyp’s wastes, and make food for the polyp from photosynthesis.polyp from photosynthesis.
Coral polyps protect the zooxanthellae, Coral polyps protect the zooxanthellae, release COrelease CO22, and provide it with , and provide it with necessary nutrients from their own waste.necessary nutrients from their own waste.
Mutually Beneficial Mutually Beneficial SymbiosisSymbiosis
A Win-Win SituationA Win-Win Situation
Egyptian Plover bird and crocodileEgyptian Plover bird and crocodile Bumblebee and flowersBumblebee and flowers Lichens (fungi and algae)Lichens (fungi and algae) Your intestine and bacteriaYour intestine and bacteria
Parasitic Symbiosis Parasitic Symbiosis A Win-Lose SituationA Win-Lose Situation
Tapeworms and intestinesTapeworms and intestines Ticks and dogsTicks and dogs Mistletoe and treesMistletoe and trees
How are these mutually How are these mutually symbiotic?symbiotic?
Drivers and passengers in a Drivers and passengers in a carpoolcarpool
Tenants and landlordsTenants and landlords
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