41. Phuket Reef Ecology Guide - Thailand & Burma Reef ecology Guide welcome. Discover Phuket's coral reefs. coral reefsare, without a doubt, one of the true natural treasures of our earth. http://www.diveasia.com/reef-guide/

Liveaboard Cruises Day Trips PADI Diving Courses PADI IDC - CDC ... Reptiles Reef Ecology Guide - welcome Discover Phuket's Coral Reefs Coral reefs are, without a doubt, one of the true natural treasures of our earth. They are home to an enormous variety of life forms, which is why they are often compared with tropical rainforests. Coral reefs need sunlight and warm water to exist. As a result, we only find coral reefs between the 30th parallels north and south of the equator. The minimum temperature that tropical corals can exist at is 20 degree C. Coral reefs are a complex system of uncountable micro-living spaces. In addition to the visible plants and animals, there are millions of nearly invisible, microscopic organisms that reside in these micro-caves and crevices inside of the coral blocks. Also, legions of tiny creatures called 'zooplankton' live directly above the reef. These creatures are an essential link in the reef food chain. Coral reefs are now facing the threat of massive destruction on a global scale. Fishing with dynamite and cyanide, specifically in Indonesia and the Philippines, has destroyed countless reefs already. As a result of global warming, more and more of the phenomenon known as 'coral bleaching' is also occurring. When bleaching takes place, the symbiotic algae in the corals are expelled and the corals become transparent. When this happens, it becomes possible to see through to the white limestone underneath, hence the name 'coral bleaching'. Most of the corals will eventually recover from the bleaching, but if the warmer water temperatures last too long, the corals will be destroyed forever.

42. NSGCP Published Coral Reef Related Projects of coral reef related species, (3) chemical ecology of coral reef related species,(4) economic significance and impacts of coral reefs, (5) management of the http://www.cbl.umces.edu/~mattia/SMProject/NSGCP/biblio.htm

Bibliography of Published Coral Reef Related Projects Funded by The National Sea Grant College Program Christopher M. Mattia St. Mary's College of Maryland St. Mary's City, MD 20686 and James McVey National Sea Grant College Program 1315 East West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 Prepared under: US Department of Commerce NOAA National Sea Grant College Program Project #43AANR602585 Table of Contents: Executive Summary Figure 1 Distribution of Coral Reef Related Research Funded By NSGCP Section 1 Coral Reef Related Reports Section 2 Physiology of Coral Reef Related Species Section 3 Chemical Ecology of Coral Reef Related Species Section 4 Economic Significance and Impacts on Coral Reefs Section 5 Management of Coral Reef Environment Section 6 Physical Characteristics of the Abiotic Coral Reef Environment Section 7 Interactions of Regional Ecosystems and Related Species Section 8 Proceedings to Conferences, Symposiums and Workshops Section 9 Other Research Related to Coral Reefs Appendix A NSGCP Institution Codes Appendix B NSGD Loan Procedures Appendix C Ordering Addresses for Obtaining Re-Prints Directly from Specific Sea Grant Offices Executive Summary Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 ... Appendix C Executive Summary Coral Reef Ecology Topics include: general ecology, population dynamics, field guides, reference materials relating to the topic and interactions of organisms with their environment.

43. Rich Coral Reefs In Nutrient-Poor Water: Paradox Explained? Richter of the Center for Tropical Marine ecology in Bremen the small holes and creviceson five reefs in the in turn serve as sustenance for coral organisms. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/11/1107_keyholecoral.html

Sign up for our free e-mail newsletter Also see: Today's Top Stories This Story EarthPulse E-mail this story In Association With Rich Coral Reefs in Nutrient-Poor Water: Paradox Explained? John Roach for National Geographic News November 7, 2001 Beagle in the 1830s. Now, a team of German and Jordanian researchers may have the answer to this so-called coral reef paradox: an abundance of sponges that dwell inside the nooks and crannies of reef interiors. Rich "Understory" Photograph by Mark Wunsch More News Diary of the Planet The Environment Travel National Geographic Today Special Series Digital Lifestyles: feature by Sony EarthPulse National Geographic Out There ... Mount Everest Expedition The sponges act as filter feeders, consuming more than 60 percent of the available phytoplankton as it passes through the reef cavities. The nutrients excreted by these sponges in turn serve as sustenance for coral organisms. Inside Look Mark Wunsch, a colleague of Richter's at the Center for Tropical Marine Ecology and co-author of a paper on the sponges published in the October 18 Nature

44. Coral Reefs ecology, sedimentology, diagenesis, reef structure and morphology, evolutionaryecology of the reef biota, paleoceanography of coral reefs and coral islands http://www.environmental-center.com/magazine/springer/00338/

HOME Business Center Publications Articles ... Directory Coral Reefs Editor: Dr. Richard E. Dodge Subscription Information ISSN print edition 0722-4028 ISSN electronic edition 1432-0975 Volumes 22 (4 issues) will appear in 2003. Pricing: North and South America Please ask for the appropriate price list in US $. For additional information about journal contents, the editorial board, author instructions and subcriptions, click here Sample Content Sample contents from the Volume 21 Number 3 September 2002 issue can be accessed below. The full text of articles can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader , version 3 or higher. Sample Contents (pdf files) Genetic differentiation among populations of the brooding soft coral Clavularia koellikeri on the Great Barrier Reef Comparison of two reef sites in the Wakatobi Marine National Park (SE Sulawesi, Indonesia) using digital image analysis

45. Cultural Ecology Marine Biology Reef Protection. Project Travel to the islands of Fijito learn about coral reefs, and help aid in their conservation. http://www.cultural-ecology.com/ice_fiji_reef.html

Semester In the South Seas Hawaii - Thailand - Nepal Hawaii - Fiji - Australia I.C.E. Internships Marine Biology: Reef Protection Project: Travel to the islands of Fiji to learn about coral reefs, and help aid in their conservation. Interns will learn and apply research techniques specific for monitoring of coral reefs. Your efforts in Fiji will be focused on beginning a monitoring program for coral reefs. You will be taught coral species identification, quadrant surveying techniques for coral reef environments, and data analysis. Coral species identification requires a serious commitment; study outside the classroom and practice in the field will be needed to master the indicator species for Fiji. Systematic quadrant surveys will be undertaken at two specific coral reef study sites. Location This internship will begin on Fiji's Coral Coast, where interns will receive their dive certification (the cost for this certification is included within your program tuition). Located approximately 1.5 hours from Suva by bus, this area of coastline produces some of the most amazing sunsets you'll ever see. The dive certification will take approximately four days to complete. From the Coral Coast, interns will move on to Yanuca Island. The Coral Coast is in the rain shadow of some of the drier, mountainous areas of Fiji's largest island, Viti Levu. Yanuca Island boasts some excellent coral reefs, and your explorations of the second reef area will provide some insight into regional variation among coral reef habitats.

46. Coral Reefs org/28445/ Plant or Animal? Learn the facts about the ecology andconservation of coral reefs. The plight of coral reefs around http://eduscapes.com/42explore/reef.htm

The Topic: Coral Reefs Easier - Coral is a substance that is formed by the skeletons of sea animals. Live, healthy coral is often brightly colored. Large coral groups form rounded or branching masses. A strip or ridge of solidified coral at or near an ocean surface is called a coral reef. Harder - Coral is a limestone formation formed in the sea by millions of tiny animals called polyps. Most coral polyps live together in colonies. They attach themselves to each other with a flat sheet of tissue that connects to the middle of another polyp body; half of the coral polyp extends above and the remaining half is below the connective sheet. Coral polyps remove calcium out of the sea water to build their limestone skeletons. They then deposit calcium carbonate (limestone) around their lower body halves. When the animals die, they leave limestone "skeletons" that become the foundations of barriers and ridges called coral reefs. As new polyps grow, their mass makes the limestone formation larger and larger. Coral Reef from Enchanted Learning http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/coralreef/coralreef.shtml

47. Coral Killers, Asesinos De Coral, Coral Reef, Corales, Ecology, Ecologia, Om Per Glossary. coral reefs colonies of coral which form lines under the sea sickly moreecology home Eco Portal El directorio ecológico y natural de la Web. http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/ecology/coralkillers.htm

CORAL KILLERS Coral reefs are dying at an alarming rate The meaning of highlighted words is explained at the end of the passage. Al final del pasaje se detalla el significado de las palabras resaltadas. It is possible that coral is being killed by human diseases. Indeed, humans may be passing forms of cholera and other human infections which are slowly destroying the coral reefs. Scientists have been studying the coral reefs off the Gulf of Mexico and have discovered an increase in the number of coral infections. In 1996, researchers found sickly reefs in twenty four places. By 1998 this number had increased to over one hundred. Coral reefs are also dying at an alarming rate. In one case, a reef had lost more than one third of its coral in three years. Professor James Porter said, ‘As we went back through our data, we saw an alarming trend.’ Many coral diseases have not been fully identified yet but in the meantime they have been given names such as ‘ bleaching ’, ‘white plague’, ‘white pox’ and ‘black band’. Professor Porter says: ‘These are the cries and whispers which, when you look at the ocean carefully and really think about what is going on, begin to

48. Applied Ecology Meteorology Oceanography Freshwater Biology Limnology Marine Bio Applied ecology Meteorology Oceanography Freshwater biology limnologyMarine biology Biology coral reefs Z Dubinsky. Applied ecology http://www.lyricsbox.co.uk/Z-Dubinsky-Coral-Reefs-0444873929.html

Applied ecology Meteorology Oceanography Freshwater biology limnology Marine biology Biology Coral Reefs Z Dubinsky Subject: Applied ecology Meteorology Oceanography Freshwater biology limnology Marine biology Biology Title: Coral Reefs Author: Z Dubinsky Teh Fu Yen Asphaltenes and Asp... Raymond N Yong Principles of C... D M Fountain Continental Lower... J C Briggs Global Biogeography... ... Jammers Antonius, Klemp Egon...

49. DEEP-ECOLOGY Jul98 Discussion: Coral Bleaching & Climate Extremes On Mon, 6 Jul 1998 134048 EDT, in sci.bio.ecology C THCLAX00 exceeded levels criticalto cause bleaching where these waters overlay Indian Ocean coral reefs. http://csf.colorado.edu/forums/deep-ecology/jul98/0041.html

Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] Next message: Mike Vandeman: "GORE ANNOUNCES: WARMEST JUNE ON RECORD" Previous message: Mike Vandeman: "Stop Corporate Welfare in Our Parks" Wed, 15 Jul 1998 18:41:14 -0700 Mike Vandeman mjvande@pacbell.net On Mon, 6 Jul 1998 13:40:48 EDT, in sci.bio.ecology C THCLAX00@UKCC.UKY.EDU URL: http://www.noaa.gov/public-affairs/pr98/jul98/noaa98-42.html NOAA 98-42 CONTACT: Patricia Viets, NOAA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 1, 1998 1998 CORAL REEF BLEACHING IN INDIAN OCEAN UNPRECEDENTED, NOAA ANNOUNCES An episode of extremely high ocean temperatures migrated from south to north throughout the Indian Ocean during the first six months of 1998 causing considerable coral reef bleaching in its wake, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports. Sea surface temperatures, exceeding the maximum values expected for any time during the year, were observed by NOAA's satellites to have exceeded levels critical to cause bleaching where these waters overlay Indian Ocean coral reefs.

50. Espen Rekdal Photography Man Animal ecology Behavior Portraits Mammals Sharks Rays Fish Invertebrates KelpForest Deep Ocean Life coral-reefs VEIWING THIS http://rasmus.uib.no/~st00502/coral-reefs/coral-reefs.htm

HOME Pic of the month New Abstracts ... STOCK LIST This is a small selection of the available images, see STOCK LIST for a complete list. Pink softcoral ( Dendronephtya ) and boat. Ras Gaslahni, Sinai, Egypt. Yellow softcoral ( Dendronephtya Thomas reef, Straights of Tiran, Egypt. Red softcoral ( Dendronephtya Thomas reef, Straights of Tiran, Egypt. Whip coral ( Junceella juncea Ras Zatar, Ras Mohammed, Sinai, Egypt. Pink softcoral ( Dendronephtya Anemone City, Ras Mohammed, Sinai, Egypt. # 772-37-2000; Jackson reef, Straights of Tiran, Egypt. # 715-21-2000; Reef scene, Jackson reef, Straights of Tiran, Egypt. # 615.2-12-2000; Red Softcoral ( Dendronephtya klunzingeri ?). Woodhouse reef, Straights of Tiran, Egypt. El fanadir light house. Ras Umm Sidd, Sinai, Egypt. Yellow softcoral ( Dendronephtya ) and whip coral ( Junceella juncea Jackson reef, Straights of Tiran, Egypt.

51. Coral Reefs Of The Indian Ocean: Their Ecology And Conservation coral reefs of the Indian Ocean Their ecology and Conservation by TR McClanahan(Editor), David O. Obura (Editor), Charles Sheppard (Editor). http://www.scubabooksonline.com/coralindianocean.htm

Coral Reefs of the Indian Ocean: Their Ecology and Conservation by T. R. McClanahan (Editor), David O. Obura (Editor), Charles Sheppard (Editor) Accessible and complex, coral reefs are ideal natural laboratories for studying a wide range of ecological and biological questions. This collection focuses on the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, which contain some of the most spectacular reefs found anywhere and which are relatively little studied. It will appeal to a broad range of researchers in ecology and will be an essential resource for anyone studying reefs U.K.Divers click map to buy

52. Biology 200, Coral Reefs, MCC explain the basic scientific concepts of coral reef ecology,; explain the biologicalbasis of current environmental problems related to coral reefs,; http://kalama.doe.hawaii.edu/hern95/pt009/Ann/biol200.html

Biology 200 Coral Reefs Instructor: Ann "Frannie" Coopersmith Phone: 984-3312 (MCC), 579-8577 (home) E-mail: ann.coopersmith@mauicc.hawaii.edu Texts: Gulko - Coral Reef Ecology Coopersmith - Biology 200 Lab Manual Randall - Shoreline Fishes of Hawai'i Hoover - Hawai'i's Sea Creatures, Guide to Hawai'i's Invertebrates REEF Starter Kit Grading: 10% - Attendance and punctuality 30% - Tests including quizzes, midterms, and a final exam based on lectures, labs, field trips, videos, and text reading. Tests may not be made up at a later date. 60% - Class participation including lab work, experiments, group work, reports, field notes, observations, projects, class discussions, service learning, and other activities and assignments. Attendance: Attendance is required. You must be in class unless you have a reasonable excuse and have contacted the instructor prior to class. Make-up lab and field activities must be completed within two weeks after returning to class. There are ample opportunities to make up work during office hours or right after class. Assignments: Lab and field reports are due as soon as they are completed. If data for a lab exercise needs to be collected and processed at a later time, the due date will be posted. Corrections on lab exercises are encouraged. Leave the old, incorrect answers in place and circle the changes. These are due no later than two weeks after the assignment was returned. Field observations are due before leaving the field site.

53. Human Impacts On Coral Reefs 1995. coral reefs. Coastal problems geomorphology, ecology and societyat the coast. Edward Arnold, London, pp. 206250. Novanet Dal. Lib. http://is2.dal.ca/~krrussel/zrussell/xmar/russellst.html

Frontiers in Marine Biology Home Page Webliteracy Homepage Table of Contents What is Coral? Coral Reefs The Benefits of Coral Reefs Human Impacts ... Cited Literature and Links Photo used with permission from Jeffrey Jeffords What is Coral? (Source: *CORAL REEF PROTECTION: U.S. EPA; Viles and Spencer, 1995) Photo courtesy of Eugene Weber, California Academy of Sciences Corals are comprised of colonies of tiny animals called polyps , which belong to the phylum Cnidaria . Each polyp resembles a small sea anemone and uses its stinging tentacles to paralyze and feed on plankton Polyps secrete calcium carbonate, which forms the skeleton of coral and the framework of coral reefs. Corals have a symbiotic relationship with microscopic algae called zooxanthellae that live inside each polyp. Zooxanthellae are photosynthetic and convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbohydrates. This provides nutrients for the polyp , which in return provides a secure environment with access to sunlight for the zooxanthellae Montastrea cavernosa Great Star Coral Top of page Coral Reefs (Source: *CORAL REEF PROTECTION: U.S. EPA; Viles and Spencer, 1995)

54. ECO-PROS - Ecology Protectors Society Educational website intended for children, with diverse material about ecology, the environment, and Category Science Environment Education...... Species, ecology, ecology club, careers ecology, Natural resources, Life facts Thirdfrom the Sun, coral communities and endangered reefs coral Communities, http://www.eco-pros.com/

ECO-PROS Environmental Education on the Web NAVIGATION BAR (bottom of page) Come on down and see what we have for you. We send you offsite 2000 times We hope you come back 2000 times Energy efficiency tips What you can do to help WELCOME TO ECO-PROS Click the star and then Hang on ! TOXINS 1 in 4 Americans lives near a super-contaminated site! Do you? STUDIES SOUND ALARMS FOR DESTRUCTIONS OF ANCIENT ECOSYSTEMS AND EXTINCTIONS OF MARINE SPECIES Read about the reports on human destruction of exotic species faster than scientists can discover them, and scraping away ancient deep-water coral reefs. "What we are destroying now will take centuries to recover." Human Impact on Oceans Earth CURRENT CONDITIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENT OF PLANET EARTH WEATHER Global warming and extreme weather causing glaciers to melt, climate changes, rising sea levels, coastal damage, floods, crop failures. ATMOSPHERE Polluted air Endangered ozone layer Acid rain Greenhouse gas buildup WATER Polluted water causing loss of species in rivers

55. Aquascope|Facts|Cliff And Rocky Beach Ecology 12 In warmer tropical waters, it is the colony building cnidarians that areresponsible for building the massive and fantastic coral reefs. http://www.vattenkikaren.gu.se/fakta/biotop/klippeko/klek12e.html

When asexual reproduction occurrs, individuals originate from only one adult and therefore have the same genes. Such individuals are genetically alike and are known as clones . Sometimes asexually reproduced individuals exist totally seperated from each other. This is the case for different generations of algae that are created from spores [Watch a plumose anemone divide (1,7 MB)] Plumose anemones reproduce by division. (Try playing the movie back and forth by moving the clip.) Many small became great In warmer tropical waters, it is the colony building cnidarians that are responsible for building the massive and fantastic coral reefs. This colony building ability is even important in more temperate areas of the globes hard bottom environments, even if these colonies of cnidarins are not as large and dominant as here Page 12 of 52 Cliffs and rocks are fantastic! Zoning and flecked occurrence Animals that are attached Modular construction ... Helena Samuelsson

56. Environmental Issues & Ecology - Research Papers On - 074-005 The ecology of coral reefs send me this paper This 10 page paper assesses specificproblems related to maintaining the stability of the coral reefs and http://www.papers24-7.com/categories/074-005.html

ALL Papers Listed Below Are Available TODAY - For Only - /page FREE Bibliography Click The ORDER PAPER Button At The Bottom Of The Screen.. (Or E-Mail Us For A Free 1pg Excerpt Before Buying!) CLICK HERE FOR THE MAIN PAPER LIST Page 6 of 18 BACK NEXT Brazilian Rainforests: Endangered Ecosystems send me this paper A 5 page overview of the tremendous ecologic value of the Brazilian ecosystems. Discusses the many threats to the sensitive ecologic balance of this system including deforestation, global warming, and slash and burn agriculture. Bibliography lists 10 sources. Filename: PPBrRain.wps Deforestation / Environmental Impact on Third World Countries send me this paper A 6 page overview of the environmental effects of deforestation on Third World countries. Discusses clearcutting, impacts to the fragile ecologies and ancillary impacts such as global warming and interruption of the carbon cycle. Bibliography lists 7 sources. Filename: Defors.wps Deforestation send me this paper A 10 page overview of the environmental and humanistic impacts of deforestation. Stresses the tremendous biodiversity of forested systems and their existing and potential value to mankind. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

57. Belize Field Ecology Summer 2000 Syllabus 1 July Travel to Belize City by Air from Greenville, NC 2 July Introductionto Marine ecology* 3 July coral reefs Geology/ Oceanography of reefs* 4 http://drjoe.biology.ecu.edu/belize/syllabus.htm

Day DATE Lecture Topics Sat 28 Jun Pack up - Biology Van loading Sun 29 Jun Travel to Belize City by Air (leave RDU) Mon 30 Jun *Introduction to Marine Ecology Sat 5 Jul Caye Caulker/ Hol Chan Marine Reserve Sun 6 Jul Free day on Caye Caulker Mon 7 Jul Travel to Calabash Caye/IMS Tue 8 Jul Reef fishes identification - snorkeling trip Wed 9 Jul Reef fishes identification - snorkeling trip Thur 10 Jul Reef invertebrates - snorkeling trip Fri 11 Jul Seagrass organisms - snorkeling trip Sat 12 Jul Mangrove organisms - snorkeling trip Sun 13 Jul Reef Food web analysis - snorkleing trip Mon 14 Jul Remote Sensing and GIS - snorkeling trip Tue 15 Jul Coastal Management, and Conservation Wed 16 Jul Lab Practical/Final Exam Thur 17 Jul Return to Belize City Fri 18 Jul Student Presentations Sat 19 Jul Inland Trip to Mayan Ruins Sun 20 Jul Trip to Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve Mon 21 Jul Trip to Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve Tue 22 Jul Return to RDU from Belize City Daily Schedule: 7 PM - 10 PM at IMS on Calabash Caye Lab: Weekend trip to Caye Caulker

58. EPA: ORD: NCER: Advanced Search Physiology and ecology of Macroalgal Blooms on coral reefs off SoutheastFlorida http//es.epa.gov/ncer/. EPA Grant Number R830414. http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/display.abstractDetail/

National Center For Environmental Research Contact Us Print Version EPA Home National Center For Environmental Research ... Personalize Physiology and Ecology of Macroalgal Blooms on Coral Reefs off Southeast Florida http://es.epa.gov/ncer/ EPA Grant Number: Title: Physiology and Ecology of Macroalgal Blooms on Coral Reefs off Southeast Florida Investigators: Lapointe, Brian E. Yentsch, Charles S. Institution: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc. Plankton Research and Instruments EPA Project Officer: Perovich, Gina Project Period: October 14, 2002 through October 13, 2004 Project Amount: Research Category: Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) Description: Over the past several decades, macroalgal blooms have degraded the biodiversity and growth of coral reef ecosystems experiencing anthropogenic nutrient enrichment. This problem has reached a critical stage in southeast Florida where blooms of Codium isthmocladum in the early 1990's were followed by a succession of Caulerpa spp. between 1998 and 2001 on fringing reefs in 20 to 50 m depths. Preliminary evidence supports the hypothesis that the decade-long succession of macroalgal blooms is linked to increasing land-based discharges of ammonium derived from sewage via groundwaters and ocean outfalls. To date, little is known of the seasonal patterns in growth and photosynthesis of

59. Science & Nature / Nature & Ecology / Oceans & Seas / Coral Reefs The book provides a fascinating look at the natural history and evolution of coralreefs that forms the foundation for understanding reef ecology and its http://hallnature.com/nature_ecology/174.shtml

Home Coral Reefs Reef Fish Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas by Paul Humann, Ned Deloach (Editor) New World Publications Paperback Sprl 2nd edition (December 1994) From Book News, Inc. , March 1, 1995 Marine species are grouped by 12 families. Entries contain information on size, depth, range, habitat, behavior, and reaction to divers. This second edition includes 124 new fish species and 325 additional color plates, and incorporates fish species found in marine habitats neighboring the reef,... Read more The Reef Aquarium : A Comprehensive Guide to the Identification and Care of Tropical Marine Invertebrates by J. Charles Delbeek, et al Two Little Fishies Hardcover - 544 pages Vol 1 (July 1994) The author, J. Charles Delbeek , August 10, 1997 This volume carries on the tradition of excellence! With over 500 colour photos and 450 pages of text, this volume offers the most comprehensive treatment of sea anemones, gorgonians, zoanthids, corallimorpharians and soft corals available today. There are many firsts recorded in this book, things that you can't find anywhere else. You've waited... Read more A Practical Guide to Corals for the Reef Aquarium by Ed Puterbaugh, Eric Borneman

60. Coral Reefs Ecosystem Around Vieques Island The following link is a collection of Scientists ( all involved in studyingthe ecology of coral reefs) who are writing to each other about the Navys http://www.elenas-vieques.com/coral.html

Coral Ecosystems and Reef Creatures elenas-vieques.com Corals belong to the animal kingdom, and are members of the same group of animals as jellyfish and sea anemones ( Phylum: Cnidaria ). The actual coral animal or 'polyp' is soft bodied, with tentacles like a sea anemone. The main difference is that corals secrete an external calcium carbonate skeleton and sea anemones do not. This hard skeleton forms the framework of coral reefs. The tiny coral polyps occupy little cups or corallites in the massive skeleton. Corals can be colonial or solitary and there are several hundred species, some are large and branching and grow rapidly at a rate of up to 10cm per year, while others are mound shaped, growing slowly at only 1cm per year. In addition to the hard corals, there are a variety of soft corals like this common sea fan (Gorgonia ventalina). The calcium carbonate skeleton of soft corals is located within their bodies, allowing them to move with the wave action. Sea fans typically grow so that the wave action is moving over the broad plane of their bodies, so all of the sea fans in an area will be oriented in the same direction. Reef building corals live in symbiotic association with zooxanthellae , single celled algae, which live in the tissue of the corals. The

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