Republic of the Philippines

PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY

Camarines Sur

Caramoan Campus
MODULE II

INTRODUCTION TO CORAL REEF

Name of student: ________________________________ Week Number: 2-3

Course Code: GEE2 Name of Faculty: Diana Rose R. Pesimo
Course Title: Indigenous People’s Study

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I. Objectives

At the end of this module, students are expected to:

• Discuss the overview of Coral Reef and its ecosystem.
• Understand the global distribution and the center for marine biodiversity.
• Discuss the general knowledge of coral reef-building.

II. Lesson

PART I. CORAL REEF

Coral reef ecosystems are

intricate and diverse collections of
species that interact with each other and
the physical environment. Coral is a class
of colonial animals related to hydroids,
jellyfish, and sea anemones. Stony
corals, a type of coral characterized by
their hard skeleton, are the bedrock of the
reef. Stony coral colonies are composed
of hundreds of thousands of individual
living polyps. Polyps can draw dissolved
calcium from seawater and solidify it into
a hard mineral (calcium carbonate)
structure that provides skeletal support.
When you look at a coral colony, only the thin layer on its surface is live coral; the mass beneath is the
calcium carbonate skeleton that may be decades old. The slow growth of polyps and expansion of the hard-
skeletal structures build up the permanent coral reef structure over time.

Coral Reef Structure

Not all corals on the reef are stony corals.

• Hydrocorals, or fire coral, are reef-building hydroids with a hard calcareous exoskeleton and
stinging cells that can cause a burning sensation when touched.
• Octocorals, or ‘soft’ corals, include sea fans and sea whips, growing more like fleshy plants and
not forming calcium carbonate skeletal structures.
• Antipatharians, or black corals, are branching ‘soft’ coral.
Some soft corals have zooxanthellae to acquire food and energy, but others, such as black corals, exist
without this symbiotic relationship. (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2021).

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PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

Polyps of reef-building corals contain microscopic algae called zooxanthellae, which exist with the
animal in a symbiotic relationship. The coral polyps (animals) provide the algae (plants) a home, and in
exchange, the algae give the polyps the food they generate through photosynthesis. Because photosynthesis
requires sunlight, most reef-building corals live in clear, shallow waters penetrated by sunlight. The algae
also give a coral its color; coral polyps are transparent, so the bloom of the algae inside the polyps shows
through (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2021).

Coral Reef Ecosystem

Coral reefs provide habitat for various marine life, including multiple sponges, oysters, clams, crabs,
sea stars, sea urchins, and many fish species. Coral reefs are also linked to seagrass, mangrove, and mudflat
communities. One of the reasons that coral reefs are so highly valued is because they serve as a center of
activity for marine life (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2021).

Coral reefs protect coastlines from storms and erosion, provide jobs for local communities, and offer
recreation opportunities. They are also are a source of food and new medicines. Fishing, diving, and
snorkeling on and near reefs add hundreds of millions to local businesses. These ecosystems are culturally
significant to indigenous people worldwide (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, 2019).

PART II. GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION AND THE CENTER FOR MARINE BIODIVERSITY

Figure 1. Red dots represent coral reef locations. Source: (SERC, 2020)

Distribution is the geographic area in which a species can be found. Corals can also grow in higher
latitudes and greater depths. These corals are often referred to as deep- or cold-water corals. They do not
share the same environmental conditions as subtropical and tropical corals, called warm-water corals.

Further corals reefs can also be found in the ocean regions where zooxanthellae' conditions are just
right to photosynthesize and build up the limestone skeletons that form reef structures. Start your
investigation of coral's ideal living conditions by exploring the ocean temperatures at which coral reefs are
found (SERC, 2020). They can also be found throughout the world’s oceans in shallow and deep water.
However, the reef-building corals that rely on a symbiotic relationship with algae need shallow, clear water
allowing light penetration for photosynthesis. Stony corals also require tropical or subtropical temperatures,
which exist in a band 30 degrees north to 30 degrees south of the equator (United States Environmental
Protection Agency, 2021).

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 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

The tropi is a geographic region that is located between the Tropic of Cancer in the northern
hemisphere (23.4378° N) and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere (23.4378° S) (figure 2).
The subtropics extend from the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn to 35° North and south latitudes.

Figure 2. Most coral reefs (in red) are located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Source: (Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, 2022)

Typically, coral reefs can be found in the tropics. There are some areas outside this range (in the
subtropics) where coral reefs exist due to currents transporting warm water, such as parts of the Bahamas,
Bermuda, Florida, Gulf of Mexico, and Japan (Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, 2022).

An ocean current is the continuous movement of ocean water in a prevailing direction. There are two
main types of ocean currents: deep ocean currents and surface currents (figure 3). Deep ocean currents
occur greater than 300 feet (100 meters) deep. They are driven by density, temperature, and salinity. Surface
currents are currents caused primarily by wind, tides, and waves.

Figure 3. Major ocean currents - the red arrows represent where warm winds are found, and the blue arrows
represent cold currents. Source: (Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, 2022)

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 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

PART III. CORAL REEL BUILDING

Scientists generally agree on four different coral reef classifications: fringing reefs, barrier reefs,
atolls, and patch reefs (Coral Reef Alliance, 2022).

Fringing reefs grow near the coastline around islands and continents. They are separated from
the shore by narrow, shallow lagoons. Fringing reefs are the most common type of reef (Coral Reef
Alliance, 2022).

Barrier reefs also parallel the coastline but are separated by deeper, wider lagoons. They can
reach the water’s surface at their shallowest points, forming a “barrier” to navigation (Coral Reef Alliance,
2022).

Atolls are rings of coral that create protected lagoons and are usually located in the middle of the
sea. Atolls usually form when islands surrounded by fringing reefs sink into the sea or rise sea levels (Coral
Reef Alliance, 2022).

Patch reefs are small, isolated reefs that grow up from the open bottom of the island platform or
continental shelf. They usually occur between fringing reefs and barrier reefs. They vary significantly in size
and rarely reach the water’s surface (Coral Reef Alliance, 2022).

Source: (Coral Reef Alliance, 2022)

Video Material

Where Are Coral Reefs Found? - YouTube

Reading Material

Galapagos Ocean Currents Yield Living Aquarium Rich in Marine LifeLiving Oceans
Foundation

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 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

III. ACTIVITY

Direction: Answer the following questions below (Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, 2022).

1. What are the two main types of coral reefs?

_____________ and ______________

2. Define distribution.
______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________.

3. Where do reef building corals thrive?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________.

4. In what geographic region(s) do warm-water corals live?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________.

IV. ASSESSMENT

Directions: Source: (Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, 2022)

1. Read Galapagos Ocean Currents, a blog from our Galapagos Islands mission
(Galapagos Ocean Currents Yield Living Aquarium Rich in Marine LifeLiving Oceans
Foundation).

2. While reading the blog, take notes and connect it to your prior learning. Note things that
you agree or disagree with

3. Next, document what you like and dislike about this blog in the space below. Be sure to
pay attention to style, tone, content, and visual design. Be sure to explain what you do or
do not like about each element.

4. Answer the questions.

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 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

V. REFERENCES

Coral Reef Alliance. (2022). Coral Reefs 101: Types of Coral Reefs Formation. Retrieved from
https://coral.org/en/coral-reefs-101/types-of-coral-reef-formations/
De Vera, D. E. (2017). Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines: A Country Case Study. Hanoi,
Vietnam.
Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation. (2022). Coral Reef Ecology Curriculum. Retrieved
from https://www.livingoceansfoundation.org/education/portal/for-teachers/course-
resources/
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. (2019, February 1). NOAA. Retrieved from
https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/marine-life/coral-reef-ecosystems
SERC. (2020, June 18). Earth Labs. Retrieved from
https://serc.carleton.edu/eslabs/corals/4a.html
The United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2021, July 15). EPA. Retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/coral-reefs/basic-information-about-coral-reefs

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