The following questions will
help you to review the material from the lectures and the text.
Is it appropriate to
refer to
coral reefs as the tropical forests of the marine realm? Explain.
Where do you find coral
reefs
across the world? Give four different examples.
What proportion of the
earth's
surface is taken up by coral reefs?
How many of the world's
described
marine species can be found on the coral reefs of the world?
What is the ecological
importance
of the coral reefs in terms of the cycling of carbon and calcium?
How does the primary
productivity
of coral reefs compare to other terrestrial and aquatic biomes?
Can you find corals
anywhere or
are they restricted to certain marine areas?
Do all corals form
reefs? Explain?
In which animal phylum
does one
encounter the corals?
"Corals are always
polyps"! Explain
the statement.
"Polyps feed on
zooplankton".
True or false? Explain.
Do the polyps exhibit
any feeding
patterns linked to the time of the day? Explain.
Do coral reefs have a
"skeleton"?
Explain.
Describe the structural
relationship
between animals and "skeleton". How does the reef form?
Are the polyps connected?
What is the role of
zooxanthellae
in the formation of coral reefs?
Describe the symbiotic
relationship
between the polyps and zooxanthellae in detail. How do the different
partners
benefit from the interaction?
Is this an important
interaction
from a biological perspective? Why or why not?
Corals within the reefs
have interesting
shapes. Describe and explain their shapes.
How does the shape of
corals benefit
the other organisms that live on the reef? Give examples.
What is the difference
between
hermatypic and ahermatypic corals?
What physical factors
limit the
distribution of coral reefs across the oceans of the world? Explain the
importance of each of the factors in detail (i.e. why does it cause a
limit
to the distribution).
How does a reef form?
Can corals reproduce
asexually?
Explain.
Describe how corals
reproduce
sexually.
What is broadcast
spawning?
How does a new reef form?
What are the three major
types
of reefs? Where are they found and how do they form?
How do these three reef
types
vary in the distribution of life on them. Explain why there is a
difference.
How can an atoll form in
the middle
of the ocean?
Why are the so many
niches on
a coral reef?
Describe the different
trophic
levels on a typical coral reef.
Give five different
examples of
species found on coral reefs and explain how they differ in their
feeding
habits.
What is happening to the
world's
coral reefs? Use the Caribbean as an example.
Why is it difficult to
monitor
the changes in the reefs?
How do storms affect the
reefs?
Give three different examples of diseases affecting the reefs across
the
world.
What is coral bleaching?
What
is the cause of the phenomenon?
What are the effects of
diseases
and bleaching on the marine biodiversity on coral reefs? Why?
What is the
Crown-of-Thorn Sea
Star and how is it linked to coral reefs?
Many reefs are strongly
influenced
by sedimentation levels? Why? What are the causes of the increased
sedimentation
levels?
What is dynamite fishing?
Why is cyanide used by
some fishermen
in the Philippines?
What are the
socioeconomic factors
behind the use of dynamite and cyanide?
Does the aquarium
industry in
the United States influence these practices in any way?
Page created
by:
Peter
Svensson Updated:
December 6,
2008
