UNIVERSIDAD ESTATAL

PENINSULA DE SANTA ELENA

MEMBERS:
AMY QUINTEROS SORIA
DIEGO POZO ROSALES
What is a coral?
 Corals are colonies of anthozoans, with the ability to secrete a calcium
carbonate exoskeleton.
 This deposition of calcium carbonate only occurs with a temperature higher
than 18º but lower than 25-28º.
Coral bleaching,
whitening of coral that
results from the loss of a
coral’s symbiotic algae
(zooxanthellae) or
the degradation of the
algae’s
photosynthetic pigment.
Because coral colonies serve
as the foundations of coral
reef ecosystems, their decline
may translate into a loss
of habitat for
numerous plant and animal spe
cies that depend on them.
Without living space and food
sources, populations of reef-
dependent fishes and other
forms of marine life can drop
precipitously.
Like most plants,
zooxanthellae
photosynthesize –
using sunlight to turn
water and carbon
dioxide into
carbohydrates (sugars)
to feed themselves and
the corals.
when the water gets too
warm, zooxanthellae can
produce toxins, which are
harmful to both the algae and
their coral hosts. For self-
preservation, the coral polyps
must expel the zooxanthellae,
even though they rely on
these algae for key life
processes such as eating and
calcification.
WHAT CAUSES THE CORAL BLEACHING?
On exposure to Sunlight
Increase in ocean When temperatures are
temperatura high, the irradiation of the
It caused by climate sun contributes to
change are the main cause whitening of corals in
of coral bleaching. areas flat.

Runoffs and Contamination Extreme low tides

The runoff after heavy rain The exposure of corals to
events they can bring with air during low tides
them contaminants that extreme, can cause the
can whiten the corals near coral bleaching that are in
the coasts. waters flat.
Healthy STRESSED BLANKED
coral CORAL CORAL
Can a coral reef be rehabilitated?
 Print 3D farms
The coral