Global Environment

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Types of Global Environments

Research Exercise – There are many types of global environments. Choose three from the following list and identify their locations around the world:

Highlight where these three environments are on a global map

Outline characteristics of each type of environment chosen and explain the reasons for their location

TR GF1 p54-55

Coasts Deserts Grasslands Mountains

Polar Lands Rainforests Rivers Tundra Wetlands

You Tube Videos

For homework Search for a videos on one of the environments that you have chosen i.e:

Coasts –

Deserts –

Grasslands –

Mountains -

You Tube Videos

Polar Lands –

Rainforests –

Rivers –

Tundra –

Wetlands – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBdwGxo0_kA

CORAL REEFS

Lingo List

Key Word Definition

Archipelago A chain or cluster of islands

Atoll A circular ring-shaped coral reef that nearly or entirely closes a lagoon

Barrier reef A coral reef that forms to protect a lagoon or coastline from the ocean

biodiversity The variety of all living things

Calcium carbonate The chemical compound created by the coral polyp as it grows

Lingo List (more)

Key Word Definition

Coral bleaching Where coral polyps expel multi-coloured zooxanthellae from their cells, making coral lose its colour, causing the reef to die

Fringing reef A coral reef that forms close to an island or coastline

Hard coral Corals that form calcium carbonate skeletons as they grow, giving reefs their structure

Soft coral Corals with a small amount of calcium carbonate that they use to attach themselves to the reef

Symbiotic relationship

A mutually beneficial interaction between two living organisms

Lingo List (even more)

Key Word Definition

Zooplankton Very tiny, drifting animals such as shrimp and small fish

zooxanthellae Algae that grow in the tentacles of the coral polyp

What are Coral Reefs?

Rainforests of the sea – providing homes for a wide variety of marine animals and plants

The coral reef environment is very fragile, needing special conditions to grow and survive

Exercise – locate coral reefs on a world map

Spatial Distribution

Construct a pie graph that shows the share of reef area for countries around world using the following data:

Country % of world total

Indonesia 18

Australia 17

Philippines 9

France 5

Papua New Guinea 5

Fiji 4

Maldives 3

Saudi Arabia 2

Marshall Islands 2

India 2

World’s Tropical Waters 33

Describe the coral reef environment & its adaptations

What are the conditions for coral growth?

Water depth and clarity- shallow (approximately 25-30 metres), clear water as coral requires sunlight to grow

Water temperature – above 18 degrees celcius and below 32 degrees celcius. Temperatures above 32 degrees celcius cause the coral to die

Salt water – coral need salt water to grow. Corals won’t grow near river mouths where rivers release fresh water into the ocean

Exercise – draw and explain a simple coral ecosystem

Internet Research

Describe the processes that operate in a coral reef:

Atmospheric Biotic Geomorphic Hydrologic

Nutrient cyclingCoral reefs are made up of millions

of individual animals called polyps. These give reefs their structure.

One of the features of coral is the way it is able to get energy from the Sun through algae called zooanthellae.

This one of the special relationships that exist in all reef environments

Nutrient cycling cont.Zooxanthellae are algae. They

provide the base of the coral reef food web.

90% of the nutrients needs by coral polyps come from the zooxanthellae living within the coral

Coral polyps are tiny, clear animals with white skeletons. They feed on zooplankton, which are tiny animals living in reef waters

The skeleton of coral polyps is made of calcium carbonate which gives coral its shape

Nutrient cycling cont.

In the symbiotic relationship between coral polyps and zooxanthellae, the wastes of the polyp are used by the zooxanthellae to grow, and the wastes of the zooxanthellae are used by the coral polyps to grow

Plant and animal adaptations

Anemones – grow best in shallow, sunlit water. They catch small fish by stinging and paralysing them with their tentacles.

Its adaptation is that its stinging tentacles are covered in mucous so that it does not sting itself

Plant and animal adaptations cont.

Clown fish – a very aggressive fish known for defending their territory. While not immune to the stings of the anemone, the clown fish is able to coat itself in the mucous that covers the anemone’s tentacles and won’t get stung.

Plant and animal adaptations cont.

Parrot fish – parrot fish eat algae that grow on the reef. As they remove the algae, pieces of coral are removed as well, which the parrot fish then spits through its mouth and gills

Plant and animal adaptations cont.

Seahorse – living on coral reefs and sea grass beds they are well camouflaged. Seahorses eat small crustaceans such as shrimp and catch their prey by drawing water and prey into their tube-like mouths.

One special adaptation is its ability to change colour to blend in with the background.

Why are coral reefs important?

Coral reefs are important because:

They provide habitat for one quarter of all known marine fish species

Protect the coast from wave attack and erosion

Are a food source for much of the world’s population

Contain medicines and cures for disease

Provide income for many countries of the world through tourism

Uses of coral reefs

Human threats to coral reefs occur due to the following uses of coral reefs:

Trade in coral reef animals – cyanide is used to stun the reef fish in the wild so they can easily be removed from the coral. The cyanide kills the coral polyps.

Fishing – overfishing removes fish stocks and does not leave a large enough population of fish to restock the area. It also alters the balance of the reef ecosystem

Tourism – wastes from resorts can enter the surrounding water and increase nutrients in the water disturbing the balance of the reef and degrading the coral

Human issues involved in destruction of coral reefs

Coastal development – the growth of large cities along the coast places pressure on reefs as pollution from the urban areas enters the water and people exploit the resources of the reef

Farming – also logging and clearing all lead to soil erosion which enters the ocean, encouraging algae and limiting sunlight to reach the coral polyps to allow them to grow, killing the reef

Risk of destruction – range from low to medium to high and causes include overexploitation involving fishing and taking coral; coastal development; inland pollution from runoff; and marine pollution from shipping debris and oil leaks

Natural threats to coral reefs

Pest infestations – the crown-of-thorns starfish can cause severe damage.

These star fish feed on algae and the increased food supply causes starfish numbers to increase, destroying the reef as they eat the coral polyps

Natural threats to coral reefs cont.

Tropical cyclones – this natural hazard can wash away coral cays due to their large waves and big tides

Global warming – this can cause coral bleaching which is when coral dies as the ocean temperature increases and sea levels rise. This causes an imbalance in the symbiotic relationship

Human interaction with the coral reef environment

Coral reef destruction is a global issue:

Globally, the United Nati0ons acts to protect and preserve these environments

Regionally, governments can protect marine parks

NGO’s rely on people to take action at a variety of levels including the local level by running email campaigns, letter writing and gaining media attention to raise pressure to preserve coral reefs

Individual action by learning about the corral reef environment and the threats to it and taking action in an informed way

You Tube Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbN161yBBGA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBgh_YmY4lU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60jof35WuAo

Clickview Videos

Case Study: The Great Barrier Reef & the indigenous community

Teacher Resource GF1 p94-96

Research the Great Barrier Reef. In doing so: describe the interrelationship of coral reefs and the

people who use them Discuss role of Indigenous Australians in protecting the

GBR http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/ examine how individuals, community organisations and

government actions are contributing to the current management of the Great Barrier Reef - research the Great Barrier Reef Management Plan

Itemise the various uses of the Great Barrier Reef and the role of Government in the management plan

research current problems with the Great Barrier Reef such as Crown of Thorns Starfish, Oil spills, sea level rise due to global warming