The rich and diverse life on coral reefs depends on plants, even though their
presence may not be as obvious as that of the large, brightly colored animals.
These marine plants, which range in size from the microscopic algae living inside
the coral tissues to the large seaweed species, are able to make food from
nutrients in the ocean using sunlight in a process called photosynthesis. These
plants are considered to be the foundation of the reef community.
The plants become food for animals called herbivores (animals that only eat
plants). The herbivores, in turn, are preyed upon and eaten by other animals in
the food web. The grazing activities of the herbivores also prevents the corals
from becoming overgrown with algae. As a result, the reef herbivores (including
sea urchins, damselfish, and parrotfish) play several important roles in the reef
community.
Although some reef organisms such as butterfly fish have strict dietary
requirements, many coral reef organisms are opportunistic feeders. An
opportunistic feeder will eat a variety of organisms, allowing them to adapt to
changing food supplies.
Many types of predators, animals that feed on other animals, exist in a coral
reef. These predators are called piscivores (animals that feed on fish), and these
are best represented by the sharks.With all of these organisms feeding on other
organisms, you can see why the food supply of the reef is seen as a complex
web rather than a simple chain of organisms.
Research Update: East Bay
Amy Bren Buchanan - SFS Intern
Ten students are working on a very interesting project concerning marine policy
and management, including myself. We are focusing our research on East Bay,
a location which is about two square miles in area. It contains a long sandy
beach, mangroves, a shallow bay flourishing with marine life, and a coral reef
that protects the whole bay. The purpose of this research project is to assess
the resources and uses of East Bay, and to create a sustainable development
plan for the area.
We have formed several committees, and each one will focus its research
efforts on a specific task. There is a government committee, a development
committee, an NGO (non-governmental organization) committee, and a local
uses committee. Each group concentrates its efforts on its specific committee
goals. When research is completed, all the committees will get together to share
information. This is a practical way for a large group to work well and
efficiently together.
The latest research effort of my committee involves drawing a map of the area
illustrating the coastline, the Barrier Reef, and specific marine habitats. This was
completed through the use of a hand held Global Positioning System (GPS)
receiver, photographs, as well as a distance measuring instrument that was
designed and built by one of the students. Here at the School for Field Studies,
if we don’t have the research tools and instruments we need, we just build
them!
