University:
University of Cincinnati
Course:
BIOL 2084C | Evolution and Ecology
Academic year:

2023
Views:

354

Pages:

3
Author:

jewrychessboard

Data nugget sea urchin Imagine you are snorkeling on a coral reef where you can see many species living together. They all depend on the coral to survive. Some animals in coral reefs, like sharks, are predators that eat other animals. Other species, like anemones and clown fish are mutualists and they work together to increase their chance of survival. Herbivores like sea urchins, eat plants and algae that grow on the coral reef. • Predator: an animal that consumes other animals • • Mutualists: organisms that help each other in a mutually beneficial relationship. Herbivore: primary consumers, eat producers Corals are the animals that build coral reefs. They are very sensitive and can be hurt by human activity, like boating and pollution. Corals reef ecosystems are also in danger from warming waters due to climate change. Three selective pressures that impact a population of coral: 1. boating 2. pollution 3. warming waters due to climate change Corals compete with certain types of algae for space to grow on the reef. If there is too much algae, corals have no place to attach and grow. Considering that corals compete with algae for space to grow. What is a possible way we can help a struggling coral population? Did you think of introducing an herbivore that eats the algae? That is what Sarah W. Davies, then a graduate student at UT Austin, thought. Sea urchins are important herbivores and one of the species like to eat algae on coral reefs. The vegetarian sea urchin Diadema antillarum. If urchins are present on the reef, the corals might have less competition from algae for space, and thus more room to grow. If urchins are present then corals populations will grow, because the corals will have less competition for space. Of course, is is not enough to just come up with a hypothesis-- as scientists, we have to TEST IT OUT! She was a post-doctoral student at UT and she chose the Gulf of Mexico to do her experiments.