Deck 14: Coral Reefs

Question 1

Besides reef-building corals,the most important organisms that help form coral reefs are:

A)Sponges.
B)Molluscs.
C)Bryozoans.
D)Coralline algae.
E)Forams.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Reef-building corals are classified as:

A)Zooxanthellae.
B)Metamorphic.
C)Ametamorphic.
D)Hermatypic.
E)Ahermatypic.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Sources of food and other essential nutrients for corals include all of the following except:

A)Nutrients released by zooxanthellae.
B)Calcium carbonate from shells.
C)Dissolved organic matter (DOM)from the water.
D)Zooplankton captured by the tentacles.
E)Capture of food using mesenterial filaments.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following organisms is least likely to be responsible for bioerosion?

A)Sea urchins
B)Polychaetes
C)Clams
D)Fish
E)Algae

Question 5

In addition to zooxanthellae,what is the other important primary producer in a coral reef?

A)Turf algae
B)Benthic diatoms
C)Kelps
D)Coralline algae
E)Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)

Question 6

Which of the following is not used directly by corals for nutrition?

A)Zooxanthellae
B)Mesenterial filaments
C)Photosynthesis
D)Mucus
E)Tentacles

Question 7

The expulsion of zooxanthellae due to unfavorable conditions is called:

A)Exflagellation.
B)Exudation.
C)Bleaching.
D)Decalcification.
E)Denudation.

Question 8

Reef-building corals grow only in shallow water because:

A)Salinity varies less in shallow water.
B)Zooxanthellae need light for photosynthesis.
C)Calcium carbonate is only available in shallow water.
D)Nutrients concentrate in shallow water.
E)Shallow water contains more dissolved organic matter (DOM).

Question 9

Zooxanthellae are essential to reef-building corals because they:

A)Provide the coral with carbon dioxide.
B)Filter-out harmful solar radiation.
C)Provide the coral with protection from predators.
D)Release mucus.
E)Help in the deposition of the calcium-carbonate skeleton.

Question 10

Eutrophication is very detrimental to the development of coral since it increases:

A)The amount of nutrients in the water,hence providing the conditionsfor the overgrowth of algae.
B)The temperature of the water,which kills the corals.
C)The temperature of the water,which kills the zooxanthellae.
D)The salinity of the water,which kills the corals.
E)The amount of pollutants in the water.

Question 11

Spur-and-groove formations,or buttresses,appear to be the result of:

A)Fish grazing.
B)The death of coralline algae.
C)Accumulation of sand.
D)The death of coral after a series of very low tides.
E)Wind and waves.

Question 12

Atolls actually start as a:

A)Fringing reef.
B)Barrier reef.
C)Semi-circular or half-moon shaped atoll.
D)Coral knoll.
E)Reef flat.

Question 13

Reef-building corals are cnidarians that are characterized by:

A)Having both a polyp and medusa stage.
B)Lacking nematocysts.
C)Having mostly a medusa stage.
D)Lacking a mouth.
E)Having only a polyp stage.

Question 14

A primary requirement for coral reef development that determines where they can develop is:

A)Optimum salinity levels.
B)The availability of sediment.
C)The lacks of grazers.
D)The raw material for mucas production.
E)The presence of a hard substrate.

Question 15

The most common type of coral reefs around the world are:

A)Barrier.
B)Atolls.
C)Coral knolls.
D)Oyster reefs.
E)Fringing.

Question 16

Fringing and barrier reefs develop:

A)In waters along estuaries.
B)In the open ocean far from land.
C)Along a coast.
D)Around islands in temperate regions.
E)Near atolls.

Question 17

Planula is the name given to:

A)The coral polyp.
B)Zooxanthellae.
C)Corals that do not build reefs.
D)Coral larvae.
E)The coral skeleton.

Question 18

In a typical fringing reef,most of the living coral is found on the:

A)Reef flat.
B)Fore reef.
C)Reef crest.
D)Reef slope.
E)Coral knolls.

Question 19

Most atolls are found in the:

A)Indo-West Pacific region.
B)Caribbean.
C)Eastern Pacific along Central America.
D)The eastern Atlantic.
E)Western Pacific along the Australian coast.

Question 20

Generally,an important distinction between barrier and fringing reefs is that barrier reefs:

A)Develop from atolls.
B)Develop farther away from land.
C)Are found only in the Pacific.
D)Are found only in the Caribbean.
E)Do not have a reef flat.

Question 21

Coral reefs are important and very unique ecosystems because they have more ______________ than any other comparible area of the world's oceans.

A)Water flow and wave action.
B)Greatest amount of biodiversity.
C)Most detritus production.
D)Greatest sediment accumulation.

Question 22

Reef corals compete with soft corals for space.One competitive advantage of soft corals is their:

A)Color.
B)Toxic chemicals.
C)Special stinging cells.
D)Ability to destroy zooxanthellae of corals.
E)Ability to dissolve the skeleton of corals.

Question 23

Giant clams are very large in size because of they:

A)Utilize dissolved organic matter from the water.
B)Filter a large volume of water.
C)Are deposit as well as a suspension feeder.
D)Are parasites when young.
E)Have zooxanthellae.

Question 24

What area of a fringing coral reef is most likely to see more pronounced coral growth?

A)Reef crest
B)Reef slope
C)Reef flat
D)Reef rise
E)Reef knoll

Question 25

The sweeper tentacles of corals contain:

A)Zooxanthellae.
B)Nematocysts.
C)Specialized spicules.
D)Bad-tasting chemicals.
E)Harmful enzymes.

Question 26

Which of the following is the latest stage in coral reef development on volcanic islands?

A)Fringing reef
B)Barrier Reef
C)Atoll
D)Patch reef

Question 27

What area of a fringing coral reef is most likely to be affected by sedimentation?

A)Reef crest
B)Reef slope
C)Reef flat
D)Reef rise
E)Reef knoll

Question 28

A toxicity that can develop when herbivorous fish ingest too many dinoflagullates is:

A)Obligate symbiosis.
B)Parasitosis.
C)Undulate fever.
D)Ciguatera.
E)Tularemia.

Question 29

The recruitment of coral reef fishes seems to be the result of one of these phenomena:

A)Species tend to avoid competition.
B)Each species has its own ecological niche but it is modified to avoid direct competition.
C)Corals over compete other organisms as long as they keep their zooxanthellae.
D)The outcome of competition is based mostly on chance.
E)Species actually chose when to compete and when to move elsewhere.

Question 30

Deep-water mound-building corals lack which of the following?

A)Calcium-carbonate
B)Any type of polyp structure
C)The ability to sexually reproduce
D)Zooxanthellae

Question 31

Primary production is very high in coral reefs but low in surrounding waters.One reason for this is that:

A)Coralline algae and other algae are very abundant.
B)There is abundant carbon dioxide in coral reefs.
C)Nutrients are efficiently recycled within the reef community.
D)Zooxanthellae increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water.
E)Turf algae release nutrients.