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Coral/zooxanthellae

Coral/zooxanthellae. Sofie Gongaware. Coral. Corals belong to Class Anthozoa. They live individually as polyps. They are relatives to the jellyfish. . A coral polyp. More on coral...!. Corals can catch small fish and animals using stinging cells on their tentacles.

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Coral/zooxanthellae

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  1. Coral/zooxanthellae • Sofie Gongaware

  2. Coral • Corals belong to Class Anthozoa. They live individually as polyps. • They are relatives to the jellyfish. A coral polyp.

  3. More on coral...! • Corals can catch small fish and animals using stinging cells on their tentacles. • Coral reefs are formed by the coral skeletons that each coral polyp sheds. The skeletons are combined and held together by layers of calcium carbonate. A coral skeleton.

  4. zooxanthellae • A one-celled algae, zooxanthellae, lives inside a sac of each coral polyp. • Zooxanthellae gives off oxygen and other nutrients that the coral polyp needs to survive. • In return, the coral polyp gives zooxanthellae carbon dioxide and other substances that the algae needs to survive. • This type of relationship is called symbiosis.

  5. More on zooxanthellae...! • -They give coral its coloration. • -Photosynthetic. A picture of the microscopic zooxanthellae.

  6. coral bleaching • Coral bleaching is when the corals become white. • This process is due to stress. When corals get stressed they can sometimes expel (or “kick out”) their zooxanthellae. Since zooxanthellae gives coral it’s color... the color will leave with the zooxanthellae. Hence, the coral is now white or “bleached.” • Once the bleaching begins it continues. If the colony of coral polyps survives the bleaching period then new zooxanthellae appear. • Additional help:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60jof35WuAo

  7. Causes of coral bleaching • Stress of the coral can be caused by temperature change (most common), changes in water chemistry, wind, increased sedimentation, and other things. Coral after bleaching.

  8. REVIEW! • 1. What class does coral belong to? • 2. How are coral reefs formed? • 3. Explain the symbiotic relationship between coral and zooxanthellae. • 4. Other than what you said above, what else does zooxanthellae do to the coral? • 5. How and why do corals sometimes go through a period of “coral bleaching?” • 6. What’s the most common cause of stress to corals?

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