Data Lab: The Building Blocks of Coral Reefs
This data module will explore
- How can marine organisms, like coral, be measured using freely available software? Students will participate in utilizing ImageJ software to measure annual growth and surface area of corals.
How do researchers quantify rates of calcification for individual corals?
Students will utilize their own data alongside data provided from experiments to better understand coral metabolism.
Coral metabolism involves the processes by which corals produce and use energy to survive and grow. Some corals rely on a symbiotic relationship with tiny algae called zooxanthellae, which live in their tissues and perform photosynthesis, providing the coral with energy. Corals can also capture small plankton and other particles from the water to supplement their diet.
What does a coral eat?
Scientists take coral corals because it provides a time capsule to understanding the historical records of growth and environmental conditions. To take a coral core, researchers use a specialized tool like a coring drill to extract a cylinder of coral tissue and skeleton.