GEOLOGY 103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Protist, Fringing Reef, Asexual Reproduction
25 Aug 2016
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Rigid structures of calcium carbonate (caco3) built by living organisms: coral (cnidaria, coralline algae (protist) Also other cementing organisms contribute to the reef structure: sponges (porifera: worm tubes (annelida, snail shell tubes (mollusca) Coral reefs develop in warm (18 c or 65 c), clear waters of normal to slightly elevates salinity (35-38%) They contain about 25% of all marine species almost every major living group of organisms: about a million. They need clear water and therefor found only where there is little terrigeneous sediment input (mud) form river runoff. There needs to be lower dissolve nutrients (not too low). Too high a nutrient level and water clarity goes down or macro algae will cover the reef. Coral polyps secrete calcium carbonate (caco3) at the base. They feed using tentacles with stinging cells (filter feeders) Wider band- faster growth rate warmer surface c. Narrower band- slower growth rate colder surface c: can be tracked like tree rings.
