Coral+Reef+Project

Investigating Coral Reefs or Oysters Coral Reef Project: See information on this page Oyster Project: Information below Coral Project

There are two parts to this exploration: Part 1: Gathering information Part 2: Presentation (the same directions for both projects)

=Coral Reef Project= ====Part 1: Your objective is to investigate the symbiotic relationship between corals and zooxanthellae algae. You will also explore the importance of coral reefs, and the problems that affect corals. The main problem that will be explored is "coral bleaching". After your investigation you should understand what "coral bleaching" is, reasons for its occurrence, and ways to prevent it. Use the information and links below to research the problem and then answer the questions on the form provided. You may need to do some research on your own if you cannot find the information on the links provided.====

Background Information:
Coral reefs are one of the most biologically productive ecosystems on Earth. Most people have seen images of brightly colored fishes and other reef-dwelling organisms, yet many do not understand why these systems are personally important. Programs and articles about coral reefs typically point out benefits that include protecting shorelines from erosion and storm damage, supplying foods that are important to many coastal communities, and providing recreational and economic opportunities. These benefits are obviously important to people who live near reefs, but there is another aspect of coral reefs that can benefit everyone: the highly diverse biological communities are new sources of powerful antibiotic, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory drugs.

The idea of coral reefs as a source of important new drugs is new to many people; but in fact, most drugs in use today come from nature. Aspirin, for example, was first isolated from the willow tree. Morphine is extracted from the opium poppy. Penicillin was discovered from common bread mold. Although almost all of the drugs derived from natural sources come from terrestrial organisms, recent systematic searches for new drugs have shown that marine invertebrates produce more antibiotic, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory substances than any group of terrestrial organisms. Particularly promising invertebrate groups include sponges, tunicates, ascidians, bryozoans, octocorals, and some molluscs, annelids, and echinoderms. For more information on drugs from the sea, visit __//@http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/03bio/background/medicines/medicines.html//__.

Despite their numerous benefits to humans, many coral reefs are threatened by human activities. Sewage and chemical pollution can cause overgrowth of algae, oxygen depletion, and poisoning. Fishing with heavy trawls and explosives damages the physical structure of reefs as well as the coral animals that build them. Careless tourists and boat anchors also cause mechanical damage. Thermal pollution from power plants and global warming cause physiological stress that kills coral animals and leaves the reef structure vulnerable to erosion. Many of these impacts are the result of ignorance; people simply aren’t aware of the importance of coral reefs or the consequences of their actions, but the damage and threats to reefs continues to increase on a global scale.

Some of the most severe damage appears to be caused by thermal stress. Shallow-water reef-building corals live primarily in tropical latitudes (less than 30° north or south of the equator). These corals live near the upper limit of their thermal tolerance. Abnormally high temperatures result in thermal stress, and many corals respond by expelling the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) that live in the corals’ tissues. Since the zooxanthellae are responsible for most of the corals’ color, corals that have expelled their algal symbionts appear to be bleached. Because zooxanthellae provide a significant portion of the corals’ food and are involved with growth processes, expelling these symbionts can have significant impacts on the corals’ health. In some cases, corals are able to survive a “bleaching” event and eventually recover. When the level of environmental stress is high and sustained, however, the corals may die.

Prior to the 1980s, coral bleaching events were isolated and appeared to be the result of short-term events such as major storms, severe tidal exposures, sedimentation, pollution, or thermal shock. Over the past twenty years, though, these events have become more widespread, and many laboratory studies have shown a direct relationship between bleaching and water temperature stress. In general, coral bleaching often occur in areas where the sea surface temperature 1°C or more above the normal maximum temperature.

In 1998, the President of the United States established the Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF) to protect and conserve coral reefs. Activities of the CRTF include mapping and monitoring coral reefs in U.S. waters, funding research on coral reef degradation, and working with governments, scientific and environmental organizations, and business to reduce coral reef destruction and restore damaged coral reefs.

As co-chair of the CRTF, and as directed by the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, NOAA has the responsibility to conserve coral reef ecosystems. NOAA’s coral reef conservation efforts are carried out primarily through its Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP). Under this program, NOAA works with scientific, private, government, and nongovernmental organizations at the local, federal, and international levels to address conservation actions. Among other actions, the CRCP undertakes a variety of mapping and monitoring activities to understand: locations of coral reef ecosystems; how they function; how human activities impact reef processes; and how managers and the public can reduce or eliminate these impacts.

Other Links:

__http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/corals __ __//http://www.coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/ //__(NOAA Coral Reef Watch Program and Satellite Monitoring of Coral Bleaching) @http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcorals/coral101/symbioticalgae/

= When finished complete Part 2 =

=Oyster Project= ==== Part 1: Your objective is to investigate the Eastern Oyster and its role in the Chesapeake Bay. After completing this project you will understand the impact the Eastern Oyster has the Chesapeake Bay, what has contributed to its decline, and how its decline is affecting the Chesapeake Bay. All your information can be found on the following website: @http://easternoyster.webs.com/ ====

Answer the questions in the following form: Investigating Eastern Oyster
=When finished complete Part 2=

=Part 2:=

Your goal is to take your information from the research you completed and make an educational tool. You can make a poster on construction paper. You can make a PowerPoint Presentation. The final choice is to make a poster on glogster. If you want to use glogster let Mr. Shelly know so he can create an account for you.

Follow the Rubric for further directions.

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