Coral Biology & Formation
What are the tiny marine animals primarily responsible for building coral reefs called?
Coral polyps.
Which reef type develops close to the shoreline and may extend directly from the coast into the sea?
Fringing reef.
Name one popular tourist activity that coral reefs support.
Snorkelling, scuba diving, glass-bottom boat tours or recreational fishing.
What climate-related event occurs when stressed corals lose or expel their symbiotic algae?
Coral bleaching.
What is the name of the Jamaican marine protected area?
Montego Bay Marine Park.
What substance do coral polyps secrete to form their protective skeletons?
Calcium carbonate.
Which reef type runs parallel to the coastline but is separated from land by a relatively wide lagoon?
Barrier reef.
Besides attracting tourists, how do coral reefs support the livelihoods of fishers?
They provide feeding, breeding and nursery habitats for commercially valuable fish and invertebrates.
Name two types of pollution identified in the presentation that can harm coral reefs.
Any two of sewage, plastics, agricultural chemicals and industrial waste.
What should boat operators use instead of dropping anchors onto coral reefs?
Designated mooring buoys.
What are the microscopic algae that live symbiotically with many reef-building corals called, and how do they benefit the corals?
Zooxanthellae; they provide energy through photosynthesis.
Which reef type is ring-shaped and surrounds a central lagoon?
Atoll.
Name two Jamaican locations where reef-related tourism supports businesses.
Montego Bay and Negril.
Why can removing too many herbivorous fish cause problems for coral reefs?
Algae can grow excessively and compete with corals.
Name the Jamaican agency identified in the presentation as contributing to environmental regulation, planning and natural resource management.
The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA).
Describe the main stages through which a coral reef develops, beginning with the coral larvae.
Coral larvae attach to hard underwater surfaces; coral polyps grow and secrete calcium carbonate; new coral grows over older skeletons; and the accumulated material gradually develops into a reef.
What are small, isolated reefs that rise from sandy seabeds or seagrass beds, often within lagoons, called?
Patch reefs.
Explain how coral reefs help protect coastal communities and their infrastructure.
They absorb and disperse wave energy, reducing coastal erosion and damage to beaches, infrastructure and settlements.
Explain how construction, land clearing and dredging can damage corals even when the activities occur on land or near the coast.
They can increase sediment runoff. Sediment settles on corals, reduces sunlight available to algae and interferes with coral growth.
Describe two ways hotels and other coastal businesses can reduce their impact on coral reefs.
improve wastewater treatment, reduce single-use plastics, establish recycling systems, educate visitors about reef protection, support restoration projects, use mooring buoys or follow sustainable fishing practices.
Name four environmental conditions coral reefs require to thrive, and explain what happens during coral bleaching.
Warm temperatures, sunlight, suitable salinity and relatively clear water. Coral bleaching occurs when stressed corals lose or expel their symbiotic algae.
Explain how an atoll forms and identify the three named atoll formations found in Belize in the presentation.
An atoll can develop when a volcanic island gradually sinks beneath the sea while the surrounding coral reef continues growing upward. The three examples are Turneffe Atoll, Lighthouse Reef, and Glover’s Reef.
Explain two ways coral reefs contribute to the well-being of Caribbean communities beyond simply generating tourism income.
They support food security by sustaining fisheries and providing food; they protect coastlines from erosion and damage. They also provide recreation, education, scientific research and cultural connections to the sea.
Explain how ocean acidification and rising sea temperatures threaten corals through two different mechanisms.
Ocean acidification makes it more difficult for corals to build and maintain their calcium carbonate skeletons. Rising sea temperatures can cause bleaching by stressing corals and causing them to lose their symbiotic algae; prolonged stress can lead to coral death.
Explain how coral restoration works, identify one limitation of restoration alone, and name one international organisation from the presentation that contributes to coral reef conservation.
Coral fragments are grown in nurseries and transplanted to suitable sites. Restoration alone cannot solve the underlying causes of reef decline, so those causes must also be addressed. Acceptable organisations include UNEP, IUCN and the Coral Reef Alliance.