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The branches that perform oxygenic photosynthesis are labeled with 'O2'. The black arrow indicates the plastid endosymbiotic event that resulted in the origin of eukaryotic photosynthesis from cyanobacteria-like organisms, which ultimately became chloroplasts in algae and later in plants.
The evolution of photosymbiosis in corals was likely critical for the global establishment of coral reefs. [18] Corals are likewise adapted to eject damaged photosymbionts that generate high levels of toxic reactive oxygen species, a process known as bleaching . [ 19 ]
A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. [1] Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Coral belongs to the class Anthozoa in the animal phylum Cnidaria, which includes sea anemones and ...
Coral reefs are some of the most biodiverse habitats on earth, supporting large numbers of species of corals, fish, molluscs, worms, arthropods, starfish, sea urchins, other invertebrates and algae. Because of the photosynthetic requirements of the corals, they are found in shallow waters, and many of these fringe land masses. [ 24 ]
The photic zone (or euphotic zone, epipelagic zone, or sunlight zone) is the uppermost layer of a body of water that receives sunlight, allowing phytoplankton to perform photosynthesis. It undergoes a series of physical, chemical, and biological processes that supply nutrients into the upper water column.
The composition of these structures, and the mechanisms involved in building them, are highly diverse. For example, some corals can incorporate both calcite and aragonite polymorphs into their skeletons. Some species, like corals and byrozoans, can incorporate other minerals to form complex protein matrices that perform specific functions. [2] [3]
The coral reefs are also the perfect habitat for rare and economically important species of tropical fish, as they provide the perfect area for fish to breed and create nurseries in. [46] If the populations of the fish and corals in the reef are high, then we can use the area as a place to gather food and things with medicinal properties ...
Some dinoflagellates are known to be photosynthetic, but a large fraction of these are in fact mixotrophic, combining photosynthesis with ingestion of prey (phagotrophy). [76] Some species are endosymbionts of marine animals and other protists, and play an important part in the biology of coral reefs. Others predate other protozoa, and a few ...