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