Deepwater: Difference between revisions
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==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
Deepwater corals grow in all the world’s ocean basins, including the waters of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ecuador, Japan, Norway, and the United States.<ref>"Deep-sea Corals." Smithsonian Ocean Portal. Smithsonian Insitution. Web. 10 Feb. 2015. http://ocean.si.edu/deep-sea-corals</ref>They can be found in waters as deep as 6,000m and as cold as -1ºC. <ref>"Deep-sea Corals." Smithsonian Ocean Portal. Smithsonian Insitution. Web. 10 Feb. 2015. http://ocean.si.edu/deep-sea-corals</ref> However, temperature is an influencing factor of coral distribution, and they are most commonly found in waters ranging from 4 to 12 C. <ref> Maier, C., J. Hegeman, M. G. Weinbauer, and J. P. Gattuso. "Calcification of the Cold-water Coral Lophelia Pertusa under Ambient and Reduced PH." Biogeosciences (2009): 1671-680. Print.</ref> Other factors influencing coral distribution include salinity and competitive interactions with other organisms like sponges and algae. <ref> Rodgers, Alex. "The Biology, Ecology and Vulnerability of Deep-Water Coral Reefs." IUCN. British Antarctic Survey, 1 Jan. 2004. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.</ref> | |||
Cold corals, as they are also called, often are found on seamounts, ocean canyons, and continental shelves and slopes. <ref> Rodgers, Alex. "The Biology, Ecology and Vulnerability of Deep-Water Coral Reefs." IUCN. British Antarctic Survey, 1 Jan. 2004. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.</ref> Corals require a hard surface on which to attach, which could be exposed rock, substrate, or even dead coral. They generally colonize areas where strong currents are found, as corals rely on the steady flow of water to supply them with food, disperse larvae, and to remove wastes and sediments.<ref> Rodgers, Alex. "The Biology, Ecology and Vulnerability of Deep-Water Coral Reefs." IUCN. British Antarctic Survey, 1 Jan. 2004. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.</ref> For this reason, corals are often found specifically on seamounts due to the strong currents. | |||
==Diet== | ==Diet== | ||
Revision as of 23:18, 19 February 2015
Deepwater Coral
Not all coral species live in tropical, shallow waters. There are many species of deepwater coral that rely solely on their extended polyps for food. Little is known about these species, and new species of deepwater coral are discovered on a regular basis.
Deepwater corals are comparable to trees
Contents
Habitat
Deepwater corals grow in all the world’s ocean basins, including the waters of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ecuador, Japan, Norway, and the United States.[1]They can be found in waters as deep as 6,000m and as cold as -1ºC. [2] However, temperature is an influencing factor of coral distribution, and they are most commonly found in waters ranging from 4 to 12 C. [3] Other factors influencing coral distribution include salinity and competitive interactions with other organisms like sponges and algae. [4] Cold corals, as they are also called, often are found on seamounts, ocean canyons, and continental shelves and slopes. [5] Corals require a hard surface on which to attach, which could be exposed rock, substrate, or even dead coral. They generally colonize areas where strong currents are found, as corals rely on the steady flow of water to supply them with food, disperse larvae, and to remove wastes and sediments.[6] For this reason, corals are often found specifically on seamounts due to the strong currents.
Diet
Life Cycle
Importance
Threats
Species
Black Coral
Lophelia pertusa
References
- ↑ "Deep-sea Corals." Smithsonian Ocean Portal. Smithsonian Insitution. Web. 10 Feb. 2015. http://ocean.si.edu/deep-sea-corals
- ↑ "Deep-sea Corals." Smithsonian Ocean Portal. Smithsonian Insitution. Web. 10 Feb. 2015. http://ocean.si.edu/deep-sea-corals
- ↑ Maier, C., J. Hegeman, M. G. Weinbauer, and J. P. Gattuso. "Calcification of the Cold-water Coral Lophelia Pertusa under Ambient and Reduced PH." Biogeosciences (2009): 1671-680. Print.
- ↑ Rodgers, Alex. "The Biology, Ecology and Vulnerability of Deep-Water Coral Reefs." IUCN. British Antarctic Survey, 1 Jan. 2004. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.
- ↑ Rodgers, Alex. "The Biology, Ecology and Vulnerability of Deep-Water Coral Reefs." IUCN. British Antarctic Survey, 1 Jan. 2004. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.
- ↑ Rodgers, Alex. "The Biology, Ecology and Vulnerability of Deep-Water Coral Reefs." IUCN. British Antarctic Survey, 1 Jan. 2004. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.