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Lab Activity1 - 014605

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26 views

Lab Activity1 - 014605

activities

Uploaded by

Claire Garcia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Name:_______________________ Course: ______________

Date:________________________ Activity No. ______________

Coral Reefs, the Human View

I. Introduction

Coral reefs are unique and beautiful


ecosystems that serve as nurseries, farms,
and homes for untold marine species. The
incredible biodiversity supported by
healthy coral reefs has earned them the
nickname "rainforests of the sea."

Coral reefs provide a wealth of benefits to


humans. In certain parts of the world,
coastal residents rely on coral reef
fisheries for a significant portion of their
protein intake. Tropical coral reefs and islands help make tourism the world's largest
industry by attracting millions of visitors annually. Coral reefs have also contributed to major
pharmaceutical breakthroughs. For example, the drug AZT, used for treating HIV infections,
is based on chemicals found in Caribbean reef sponges. Today, most cancer drug research
focuses on tapping resources from marine organisms, many of which inhabit coral reefs.

In the first part of this lab, you will experience the human view of coral reefs by viewing
several short videos about coral. In the second part of the lab, you will examine coral
samples provided by your teacher.

II. Objectives

After completing this investigation, the students should be able to:

a. name at least three reasons why coral reefs are important to humans;
b. explain the role of symbiosis in reef ecosystems; and
c. explain the differences between living corals in the ocean and the pieces of coral one
might see washed up on a beach.

III. Part A: Introduction to Coral Reefs

1. Watch the short video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHCCih9cHxw) Coral


Reef Biology. As you watch, take notes as preparation for answering the following
questions.

a. What is Coral?
b. What is a Reef?
2. Watch the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EUUEPinEcQ) Exploring
Ecosystems to learn more about symbiotic relationships in the reef; be sure to take
notes on what you learn.

The video covered three main types of symbiotic relationships. Can you remember
what they were called?

a. ________: both partner’s benefit.


b. ________: one partner benefits and the other is harmed.
c. ________: one partner benefits and the other is not affected.

3. Read the information sheet (Why are Coral Reefs so Important:


https://d32ogoqmya1dw8.cloudfront.net/files/eslabs/corals/why_coral_reefs_so_im
porant.v3.pdf) to learn more about what reefs do for humans.

a. Summarize the importance of coral reefs from the given reading material.

Stop and Think

1: How do species interact on a coral reef? Describe and give examples of at least two
different relationships and explain which organism(s) benefits or is harmed by these
relationships.

2: Can you think of any human relationships with coral reefs? Would you classify any of
these relationships as symbiotic? Explain (at least 1 paragraph, five sentences).

III. Part B: A Closer Look at Coral

Corals live in the sea, but sometimes we find pieces of them on land. Perhaps you've
stumbled across a fragment of coral on a beach or have seen a piece of coral jewelry.
Although you should never remove coral from the ocean or buy precious coral jewelry,
studying the skeletal remains of coral can help us learn about what they were like when
they were still alive.

Observation in eyes.
Observation in microscope.
1. Examine the coral samples shown above pictures, first by eye and then with a
magnifying glass or under a microscope if possible. For each sample, consider the
following questions:

a. Where did the coral sample come from?


b. Is the surface of the coral sample rough or smooth to the touch?
c. Is the coral sample white or colorful?
d. What shape is the coral sample? Is it symmetric?
e. Do the coral samples in class resemble the corals you saw in the videos? What
makes them similar or different?
2. Coral reefs are teeming with life on every surface, crevice, and surrounding waters.
Examine a living coral reef ecosystem by visiting a local aquarium or by checking out
the following webcams with live streaming video:

a. Philippines Coral Reef Cam (https://www.calacademy.org/learn-explore/animal-


webcams/philippine-coral-reef-cam) from California Academy of Sciences (Be
patient for the video stream to load.)
b. Cayman Reef Cam (https://serc.carleton.edu/eslabs/corals/1b.html) (Be patient
for the video stream to load.)

Stop and Think

1: Describe the biodiversity you observed on the reef: How many different shapes and
colors of coral were you able to identify on each reef? How many different types and sizes of
fish? How many other animals? How do these numbers compare to the number of species
that make up/inhabit the reef? Explain (at least 1 paragraph, five sentences).

2: How might you determine how many species live on a reef and their ideal living
conditions and relationships? Explain (at least 1 paragraph, five sentences).

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