Lesson 1: Just Another Day in the Hood An Introduction to Symbiotic Relationships in the Coral Reef Ecosystem

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Lesson 1 Just Another Day in the HoodAn
Introduction to Symbiotic Relationships in the
Coral Reef Ecosystem

• Kira Withy-Allen
• Teacher/Research Assistant
• University of California, Santa Barbara
• Research Experience for Teachers
• National Science Foundation

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Background Moorea LTER Unit

• Can you outsmart a scientist?
• In the following lessons, you will be the brains
  behind research done by scientists at the
  University of California, Santa Barbara.
• You will decide what their hypotheses should be
  and how they should set up their experiments.
• The scientists you are up against have spent many
  years studying the ecology of organisms, so be
  prepared for some big competition!
• Since there are no coral reefs in California, the
  scientists must travel to the island of Moorea,
  French Polynesia to conduct their research.
• Do you have a coral reef near you?

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Moorea is a tropical island in French Polynesia.
It is near the Northwestern end of Tahiti.
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The island of MOOREA
UC Berkeley Gump Research Station Where
scientists live and conduct research while in
Moorea.
Scientists in Moorea are studying a barrier reef.
This is a reef that is parallel to the shore and
usually separated from land by a lagoon.
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UC Berkeley Gump Research Station Moorea, French
Polynesia
Tahitian hut (Fare)
Dorms
Wet and Dry Laboratories
Research Boats
Repair Shop
Library
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The scientists we will encounter in the next two
lessons have been studying different organisms
that participate in symbiosis.

• Symbiosis A close relationship between two
  organisms. Many symbiotic organisms share a
  living space.
• Symbiont Usually the smaller
• organism in a symbiotic relationship.
• Example Algae called zooxanthellae
• that often live inside the tissue of a coral.
• Host Usually the larger
• organism in a symbiotic
• relationship.
• Example A coral polyp.

In this case, the Symbiont lives inside of the
tissues of the Host.
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There are three main trends observed with
organisms that participate in symbiotic
relationships.

• Mutualism A relationship between two organisms
  (host and symbiont) in which both benefit from
  the interaction.
• Parasitism A relationship between two organisms
  in which one organism benefits at the other
  organism's expense.
• Commensalism A relationship between two
  organisms in which the host neither benefits nor
  is hurt by the relationship.

Host
Symbiont
Host
Symbiont
Host
Symbiont
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A Symbiotic RelationshipCoral and Zooxanthellae

• For the rest of this lesson, we are going to
  learn what life processes corals and
  zooxanthellae must do in order to survive.
• Assignment You are expected to decide the main
  reason why coral and zooxanthellae might be found
  living together on the reef. On your paper, jot
  down notes or draw pictures that may help you
  decide.

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What do plants and algae need to survive?

• Discuss what you think plants and algae in the
  ocean or on land need to survive.
• Do ocean and land plants need the same things?
  What is the same? What is different?
• Brainstorm and write down your ideas.

Ocean Algae Zooxanthellae
Land Plant Rainforest Tree
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Optional Activity DEBATE

• Question Are plants and algae the same thing?
• Divide students in the classroom into two
  groups. One group supports the notion that plants
  and algae are the same thing and the other group
  will challenge this by mentioning any differences
  between the two.
• Stumped?
• Scientists have spent a lot of time debating this
  issue.
• Some Similarities
• Both are producers that carry out a process
  called Photosynthesis.
• Both have chlorophyll and chloroplasts.
• Both can be found on land and in the aquatic
  environment.
• Some Differences
• Protists (most algae) and Monera (Blue-green
  algae) come from different kingdoms than plants
  (Plantae) . Note Chlorophycota is commonly
  slumped with Plantae.
• Algae and plants dont share a similar structure
  (i.e. roots).

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Plants and algae, both on land and in water,
survive using similar basic resources. However,
they take in the resources in different ways and
from different materials depending on the
environment.

• All plants need

1. An Energy Source Sunlight or artificial light.
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Plants and algae have a special green pigment
called chlorophyll that allows them to attract
and absorb sunlight rays.
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Inputs Resources organisms use to function.

• All plants need

1. An Energy Source Sunlight or artificial light.
2. Water is very important for organisms to
function correctly.
H2O
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• All plants need

1. An Energy Source Sunlight or artificial light.
2. Water is very important for organisms to
function correctly.
3. Carbon Dioxide gas is absorbed from the water.
H2O
CO2
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• All plants need

1. An Energy Source Sunlight or artificial light.
2. Water is very important for organisms to
function correctly.
3. Carbon Dioxide gas is absorbed from the water.
H2O
CO2
4. A food source Nutrients from soil, decaying
organisms, or the surrounding environment.
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• What happens to these resources once they are
  taken up by a plant?
• Assignment Brainstorm and discuss at least 5
  reasons why plants are important on Earth and use
  these reasons to answer the question above.
• Hint Some questions you may want to ask yourself
  include Do plants benefit you in any way? Where
  do you find plants? What are they used for? Do we
  NEED plants?

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Why are plants and algae important?Animals
(including us) use the outputs of plants as food
and for additional resources.

• INPUTS OUTPUTS

C6H12O6
Glucose, a simple sugar molecule that stores
energy.
CO2
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Outputs What an organism produces or releases
after using the inputs.

• INPUTS OUTPUTS

C6H12O6
1. Glucose, a simple sugar molecule that stores
energy.
H2O
CO2
O2
2. A gas called Oxygen is released. Does that
word sound familiar?
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• INPUTS OUTPUTS

C6H12O6
1. Glucose, a simple sugar molecule that stores
energy.
H2O
CO2
O2
2. A gas called Oxygen is released. Does that
word sound familiar?
3. WASTE
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• INPUTS OUTPUTS

C6H12O6
1. Glucose, a simple sugar molecule that stores
energy.
4. Water is usually an input and output.
H2O
CO2
O2
2. A gas called Oxygen is released. Does that
word sound familiar?
3. WASTE
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Does anyone know what this process that plants
and algae perform is called?

• PHOTOSYNTHESIS! Can you say it?
• Another crazy scientific word! At least that was
  easier to pronounce than zooxanthellae, right?
  But now I forgot what photosynthesis is! Can you
  define it?
• Photosynthesis A chemical process in which
  green plants combine carbon dioxide and water in
  the presence of light energy and chlorophyll to
  produce carbohydrates and oxygen.
• Sunlight Carbon Dioxide Water Nutrients
  Glucose Oxygen Waste Water
• Thats what you SAID, Im sure of it!
• Test yourself Do you know the symbols for some
  of the molecules, such as Carbon Dioxide?

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This whole process of photosynthesis takes place
in a specialized organelle, which is found inside
plant and algal cells. It is called a

• CHLOROPLAST A specialized organelle inside a
  plant or algal cell where photosynthesis takes
  place.

Note that the chloroplast (light green) has the
chlorophyll pigment (dark green) inside of it to
attract the sunlight so the process of
photosynthesis has energy to begin.
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Do zooxanthellae perform photosynthesis?

• You bet!
• Scientists believe that zooxanthellae and other
  phytoplankton (often microscopic plants) in the
  ocean produce AT LEAST HALF of our Earths OXYGEN
  via photosynthesis.
• Since organisms that perform photosynthesis can
  make their own food, they are called producers.

Supplemental article Source of Half Earth's
Oxygen Gets Little Credit http//news.nationalgeo
graphic.com/news/2004/06/0607_040607_phytoplankton
.html
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What does all of this photosynthesis stuff have
to do with CORAL?

• POP QUIZ
• aaaggghh
• 1. Are corals plants?
• No! Coral is an animal.
• 2. Does coral perform photosynthesis?
• No! Animal cells do not have chloroplasts.
• 3. What is the process that animals perform to
  survive called?
• RESPIRATION

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Respiration A chemical process that releases the
energy stored in food and forms new products.

• INPUTS

C6H12O6
1. An energy source Glucose, a simple sugar
molecule that stores energy made through
photosynthesis.
Coral
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Respiration

• INPUTS

C6H12O6
1. An energy source Glucose, a simple sugar
molecule that stores energy made through
photosynthesis.
2. Water is very important for organisms to
function correctly.
H2O
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Respiration

• INPUTS

C6H12O6
1. An energy source Glucose, a simple sugar
molecule that stores energy made through
photosynthesis.
2. Water is very important for organisms to
function correctly.
H2O
O2
3. Oxygen gas is either absorbed from the water
by tissues (coral) or gills (fish), or taken in
through the lungs from the air (whales).
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Do you recognize any of the INPUTS for
respiration?

• You should, they are the OUTPUTS for
  photosynthesis!

BOB is shocked.
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1. The energy in food (such as glucose) is
transferred to the animal to run its bodily
processes, and is then released as heat. Energy
does not get used up, it just transfers from one
object to another.
What are the outputs for respiration?

• INPUTS OUTPUTS

C6H12O6
HEAT
Glucose
Water
O2
H2O
Oxygen gas
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1. The energy in food (such as glucose) is
transferred to the animal to run its bodily
processes, and is then released as heat. Energy
does not get used up, it just transfers from one
object to another.
Respiration

• INPUTS OUTPUTS

C6H12O6
HEAT
Glucose
Water
O2
H2O
CO2
Oxygen gas
2. Gas Carbon Dioxide gas is released into the
water.
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1. The energy in food (such as glucose) is
transferred to the animal to run its bodily
processes, and is then released as heat. Energy
does not get used up, it just transfers from one
object to another.
Respiration

• INPUTS OUTPUTS

C6H12O6
HEAT
Glucose
Water
O2
H2O
CO2
Oxygen gas
2. Gas Carbon Dioxide gas is released into the
water.
3. WASTE/NUTRIENTS
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1. The energy in food (such as glucose) is
transferred to the animal to run its bodily
processes, and is then released as heat. Energy
does not get used up, it just transfers from one
object to another.
Respiration

• INPUTS OUTPUTS

C6H12O6
HEAT
Glucose
4. Water is usually an input and output.
O2
H2O
CO2
Oxygen gas
2. Gas Carbon Dioxide gas is released into the
water.
3. WASTE/NUTRIENTS
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Consumer vs. Producer

• Organisms that undergo respiration are often
  called Consumers because they cannot perform
  photosynthesis to make their own food, so they
  must consume it from something else.
• Exception Producers
• Do you remember what producers are?
• Producers make their own food by performing
  photosynthesis (i.e. plants), but in order to
  gain energy to use for their processes, they must
  also do respiration and use small amounts of
  their own food (glucose) energy that is stored.

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Do you recognize any of the OUTPUTS from
respiration?

• You should, some are the INPUTS for
  photosynthesis!

Congratulations, BOB is shocked again!
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Remember this Assignment? A Symbiotic
Relationship Coral and Zooxanthellae

• Assignment You are expected to decide the main
  reason why coral and zooxanthellae might be found
  living together on the reef. On your paper, jot
  down notes or draw pictures that may help you
  decide.
• Take a few minutes now to finish processing your
  thoughts. Have you thought of any ways that
  zooxanthellae and coral could help each other out?

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REVIEW PHOTOSYNTHESIS

• INPUTS OUTPUTS

C6H12O6
or
CO2
O2
H2O
WASTE
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REVIEW RESPIRATION

• INPUTS OUTPUTS

H2O
HEAT
C6H12O6
or
O2
CO2
WASTE/NUTRIENTS
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PHOTOSYNTHESIS and RESPIRATION are opposite
processes.

• The INPUTS for photosynthesis are the OUTPUTS
  from respiration!
• PHOTOSYNTHESIS INPUTS PHOTOSYNTHESIS
  OUTPUTS
• Sunlight Carbon Dioxide Water Nutrients
  Glucose Oxygen Waste (nutrients) Water
• The OUTPUTS from photosynthesis are the INPUTS
  for respiration!

RESPIRATION INPUTS RESPIRATION
OUTPUTS Glucose Oxygen Nutrients Water
Heat Carbon Dioxide Water Nutrients
(waste)
Note Matter is recycled! Nutrients such as
Nitrogen can come out as waste from a consumer is
fixed by bacteria so that it can be taken up
again as fertilizer by the producer.
Okay, we need to stop shocking BOB before his
hands become permanently stuck to his face.
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What does this mean for organisms that live
symbiotically and can perform both photosynthesis
(zooxanthellae) and respiration (zooxanthellae
and coral)?

• Sunlight Glucose Heat
• Carbon Dioxide Oxygen
• Water Waste (nutrients)
• Nutrients Water

Energy transfer In Photosynthesis and
Respiration, energy changes forms but does not
get used up. It begins as light energy, then is
converted into chemical energy during
photosynthesis (energy is stored in food), and is
released into the atmosphere as heat when
respiration is complete. Matter Matter is
anything with mass. All matter is recycled in the
system.
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Which type of symbiotic relationship do coral and
zooxanthellae exhibit?

• MUTUALISM! They both benefit from the
  interaction in the following ways
• CORALS receive energy from zooxanthellae, which
  is stored in the glucose that the zooxanthellae
  produce during photosynthesis. The rest of their
  energy (and nutrients) is obtained from their
  food, zooplankton, which they catch with their
  stinging tentacles. Corals need lots of energy to
  reproduce new individuals that can add to the
  size of a reef.
• ZOOXANTHELLAE receive protection from a corals
  hard skeleton and stinging cells. Zooxanthellae
  also use some of coral waste as nutrients.
• More interesting information about the
  relationship Reef-building corals get their
  coloration from the zooxanthellae in their
  tissues, so it is difficult to identify coral
  species based on their coloration. When corals
  are stressed, they release their zooxanthellae
  and become all white (what we know as coral
  bleaching).

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• In the next two lessons we will learn more about
  symbiotic relationships by looking at actual
  research being conducting by scientists on coral
  reef organisms.

End of Lesson
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Vocabulary Check

• Zooxanthella (zooxanthellae plural) A
  single-celled algae (dinoflagellate) that can
  often be found living within the tissue of
  certain Cnidarians, especially reef-building
  corals.
• Hypothesis (Hypotheses plural) An educated
  prediction.
• Ecology The study of how organisms interact with
  each other and their physical environment.
• Barrier Reef A reef that is parallel to the
  shore and usually separated from land by a
  lagoon.
• Symbiosis A close relationship between two
  organisms. Many symbiotic organisms share a
  living space.
• Symbiont Usually the smaller organism in a
  symbiotic relationship.
• Host Usually the larger organism in a symbiotic
  relationship.
• Mutualism A relationship between two organisms
  (host and symbiont) in which both benefit from
  the interaction.
• Parasitism A relationship between two organisms
  in which one organism benefits at the other
  organism's expense.
• Commensalism A relationship between two
  organisms in which the host neither benefits nor
  is hurt by the relationship.
• Producer An organism capable of making its own
  food.
• Photosynthesis Process of using energy in
  sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into
  carbohydrates (sugar, energy) and oxygen.
• Chlorophyll A specialized pigment found in
  producers that allows them to attract and absorb
  sunlight rays.
• Chloroplast The organelle where photosynthesis
  takes place in a plant or algal cell.
• Inputs Resources organisms use to function.
• Matter Anything with mass.
• Energy Anything that can be converted into and
  measured as heat.

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Work Cited

• Text
• Vocabulary and teaching techniques throughout
  this unit were adapted from
• 1. Pottenger, F.M., Young, D.B., and Klemm, B.E.
  Matter and Energy in the Biosphere FAST
  (Foundational Approaches in Science Teaching).
  Curriculum Research and Development Group,
  University of Hawaii at Manoa,1978.
• Photos
• Col, Jeananda. Enchanted Learning.
  http//www.EnchantedLearning.com 1996 (slide 22).
• Mattia, Christopher. University of Maryland
  Center for Environmental Science. 1997.
  www.cbl.umces.edu.
• Utah State Office of Education,
  http//www.usoe.k12.ut.us/ (slide 12).
• Santos, Scott R. State University of New York at
  Buffalo. www.coral.noaa.gov (Slides 9, 23, 36,
  39).
• Stewart, Hannah. Post-Doctorate Fellow.
  University of California, Santa Barbara (Slides
  3, 4, 5, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 37, 39).
• Withy-Allen, Kira. University of California,
  Santa Barbara and University Laboratory School,
  University of Hawaii at Manoa (Slides 1, 9, 16,
  24, 41).