Coral Reefs of Costa Rica

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Coral Reefs of Costa Rica
How Pollution Affects the Coral Reefs
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Costa Rican Coral Reefs
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What is a coral?

• A coral is actually a coral colony
• Rocky limestone base
• Surface is covered by thousands of tiny coral
  animals, called polyps
• Polyps are filled with microscopic algae

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Anatomy of a coral polyp

• Each polyp looks like a tiny sea anemone
• Ring of stinging tentacles around a central mouth
• Rests in a cup on the surface of the colony

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What do corals eat?

• Like a sea anemone, the polyp can capture small
  prey (mostly zooplankton) with its tentacles
• Also get nutrition from a symbiotic relationship
  with zooxanthellae.

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What are zooxanthellae?

• Algae that live in the coral polyps surface
  layer
• Algae get nutrients and a safe place to grow
• Corals get oxygen and help with waste removal
• Corals also get most of their food from the algae

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Benefits of Coral Reefs

• Fish live in the coral.
• Protects coastal areafrom storms and
  hurricanes.
• Remove toxins fromthe water.
• Recreation for humans.

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What turns the coral white?
Healthy coral with algae
Bleached coral with no algae

• - As a stress response, corals expel the
  symbiotic zooxanthellae from their tissues
• - The coral tissue is clear, so you see the white
  limestone skeleton underneath

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What can stress a coral?

• Pollution
• Bacteria
• High turbidity from coastal runoff, cruise ships,
  or hurricanes
• High Cold water temperatures

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Examples of Damage to Reefs
Anchors
Humans
Cruise Ships
Pollution
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Can corals recover?

• Corals may eventually regain color by
  repopulating their zooxanthellae
• Algae may come from the water column
• Or they may come from reproduction of the few
  cells that remain in the coral

• Corals can begin to recover after a few weeks

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What Can We Do To Help?

• Stop Pollution
• Protect Reefs FromDamage By Humans
• Create Artificial Reefs

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Artificial Reefs
Reef Balls are positioned to create an artificial
reef.
Coral starts to grow and fish move in.
A new reef begins to form.
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Healthy Reefs Again
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Fish Tank Project

• Create your own artificial reef in the classroom.

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Clinton Lake Project

• Water source is the Wakarusa river
• Located 1 mile West of Lawrence, KS
• Built to help with flood control
• Constructed and operated by Army Corps of
  Engineers

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What we get from lakes

• Recreation
• Boating, fishing, swimming, camping, hiking
• Habitats for marine life and water fowl
• Water supply
• Flood control

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How we damage Clinton Lake

• Littering
• Fish waste
• Agriculture Run-off
• Contaminates fromStorm Sewers
• Air Pollution

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How can we make a difference?

• Dont throw any thing in the water.
• Dont put trash the land by the water.
• Reduce the amount of harmful chemicals used in
  and around your house.
• Pick-up trash along roads that may wash into
  rivers and streams.