coasts pt 2

Question 1

what is a coral reef

Answer 1

• structures that develop at, or slightly below, sea level on the seabed.
• a community of living organisms, one of the most diverse types of ecosystem in the world. It is made up of plants, fish and many other creatures.

Question 2

coral reefs consists of

Answer 2

colonies containing millions of coral animals called polyps.

Question 3

how does the corals and algae enjoy a symbiotic relationship with each other

Answer 3

• Polyps provide microscopic algae with nutrients and carbon dioxide.
• Algae provide the polyps with sugars and oxygen.

Question 4

distribution of coral reefs

Answer 4

• usually found in tropical and sub-tropical seas
• between the Tropic of Cancer in the northern Hemisphere and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere.

Question 5

when are reefs established

Answer 5

when a large, continuous mass of coral builds upwards and outwards from a rock base.

Question 6

factors coral reefs require

Answer 6

• Warm water: preferably 23-25℃
• Clear, shallow saltwater, no deeper than 50 meters.
• Plenty of sunlight to aid photosynthesis

Question 7

why is clear, shallow saltwater required for coral reefs to grow

Answer 7

• Water with high turbidity restricts sunlight penetration.
• Water with a lot of sediments may suffocate living corals.
• Lower salinity levels inhibit coral growth.
• Sunlight cannot penetrate water that is too deep.

Question 8

values of coral ecosystem

Answer 8

• environmental
• economice

Question 9

how does coral ecosystems bring value to the environment

Answer 9

• The value of coral reefs is their crucial role in supporting natural ecosystems, allowing a wide range of marine creatures to breed and grow. Coral reefs support more than 25 percent of the earth’s marine fish species.
• Coral reefs have the ability to absorb wave energy generated in the open seas, thus protecting the adjacent land mass from erosion.

Question 10

how does coral ecosystems bring value to the economic

Answer 10

• Coral reefs and their nearby land areas are commonly developed as tourist attractions. Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, is a famous diving site because of its unique limestone rocks and sheltered environments filled with corals, lagoons and fish species.
• Jewellery and ornaments made from corals are often favoured as souvenirs by tourists visiting coral reefs, boosting the local economy.

Question 11

features of healthy coral reefs

Answer 11

• formed by live corals
• rise to near the surface
• serve as a natural breakwater
• significantly reducing wave energy

Question 12

features of degraded coral reefs

Answer 12

• lost live corals that provide the most protection
• much more wave energy reaches the coast

Question 13

what are pressures on the coral reef ecosystem

Answer 13

• pressures are events or conditions that cause changes.
• Coral reefs are under pressure from both natural processes and human activities.

Question 14

examples of pressures on coral reef ecosystems

Answer 14

• over-collection
• fishing methods
• recreational use of coasts
• pollution
• siltation
• coastal development
• climate change

Question 15

what causes over collection

Answer 15

Overfishing in reefs and surroundingwaters.

Question 16

impact of over collection

Answer 16

Depletion of fish disrupts the delicate
balance of the ecosystem’s food chain.

Question 17

what fishing methods put pressure on coral reefs

Answer 17

Dynamite blasting and use of cyanide to stun fish.

Question 18

impact of using specific fishing methods

Answer 18

Coral reef habitat destroyed

Question 19

example of recreational use of coasts puts pressure on coastal environments

Answer 19

Tourism activities in coastal areas.

Question 20

impact of recreational use of coastal environment

Answer 20

Waste may be discharged into water and stress corals; boat anchors may damage corals.