INSTRUCTIONS • THIS IS A TEMPLATE THAT WILL BE USED TO COMPLETE THIS ASSIGNMENT. • THIS ASSIGNMENT IS A MAJOR GRADE, WITH 3 MINOR GRADES BUILT IN. SLIDES 1-3 ARE DUE ON WEDNESDAY, 1/27/21; SLIDES 4-6 ARE DUE ON THURSDAY, 01/28/21; SLIDES 7-9 DUE FRIDAY 1/29/21. • ENTIRE PROJECT IS DUE ON MONDAY, 02/01/21 – EXTRA TIME IS GIVEN TO YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR SCHEDULE OF SERVICES! • Include pictures on SLIDES 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, & 9. • Bibliography - use the website to help you format the citation... WWW.BIBME.ORG MUST DO THIS!! • WHEN YOU SUBMIT THIS PROJECT, MAKE SURE THAT THE INSTRUCTIONS SLIDE IS NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR PRESENTATION! • PROJECT IS DUE ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2021, VIA CANVAS! • Any questions, please ask. MALDIVES CORAL REEFS Aquatic Ecosystems Project By: Mrs. Barboza Environmental Systems – 7th period BACKGROUND • Where is this ecosystem located? My ecosystem is located off the Indian Ocean near the country of India and east coast of Africa. If this is an ocean ecosystem, what is the closest country? Another country that it is located near is Australia, west coast of Australia. • What types of aquatic ecosystems are shown? The Maldives is an open ocean and deep sea aquatic ecosystem. There are no rivers or streams, but a few wetlands and mangroves. AQUATIC ZONES • The Maldives have a variety of zones. The picture below gives an idea what the waters look like. For example, it has a freshwater zone, a transition zone, seawater zone, reef flat, atoll lagoon, etc. • It has about 1192 coral islands on 26 atolls. • About 300 sq. km. is dry land. • Reefs mostly located in the photic zone. ABIOTIC FACTORS • Maldives consists of freshwater, although freshwater comes from rain water. • Citizens use desalinated water. • Maldives is protected from tsunamis via the slopes of the atolls. • If a tsunami approaches the island, slopes act as long submarine wall that causes the tsunami waves to lose force as it is approaching land • No Volcanoes; no earthquakes because it is not sitting on any fault line. • The Maldives can get storms or hurricanes (typhoons), but archipelago sits in a non-hurricane or non-typhoon region. Located near the Equator protects this country from such natural disaster events. • Bioluminescent plankton light up the Maldives at night. • They are known as dinoflagellates that produce a light chemical called luciferin. PLANKTON • They are also called Sea Sparkle (Noctiluca scintillans) – uses the bioluminescence to surprise their predators – it’s like a defense mechanism. • They light up the beaches at night during the warm months NEKTON • Tuna – a pelagic fish - Thunnus obesus – is very popular in The Maldives. • Tuna is highly used as a food commodity by the citizens. • Giant Clams - Ridacna squamosa and Tridacna maxima • This type of species is considered to be a popular fish in the fisheries industry, however, because of huge exploitation, it has been banned from fishery. Giant clam Tuna • Sea Cucumbers are another popular species. BENTHOS / DECOMPOSERS * Prickly Red Fish (Thelonota ananas) * White Teatfish (Microthele nobilis) • Too much exploitation has caused the government to intervene and place restrictions on the fishery industry. RELATIONSHIPS • Symbiosis – mutualistic relationship – Clownfish & Anemone • Anemone have these tentacles that sting when it reaches out for its prey (predator); it hides in the rocks of the waters waiting for a prey to approach. • Clownfish contains a mucus layer on their skin that is numb to the sting of the Anemone, making the Anemone its home. • The Clownfish and Anemone benefit in that the Clownfish uses the Anemone has a “home” and keeps predators away from the Clownfish. They also eat the leftovers from the Anemone. The Anemone benefits in that the Clownfish acts like a prey for other predators. BIBLIOGRAPHY • Ecosystems picture: www.blueocean.net • Ecosystem map & background: www.dreamingofmaldives.com • https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/8/2209/htm (download the pdf file to include the information in my presentation) • “Fish and Sealife of the Maldives - Kuoni Travel.” @KuoniTravelUK, www.kuoni.co.uk/maldives/fish-and-sealife-of-the-maldives. • “Clownfish and Anemones, a Perfect Relationship?” Diving in the Maldives – Scuba Diving in the Maldives – Dive the Maldives, www.tgimaldives.com/clownfish-anemone-symbiosis/. • “Bioluminescence In The Maldives: How To See The Sea Sparkle.” @KuoniTravelUK, www.kuoni.co.uk/maldives/bioluminescent-plankton#. • 6 Profile and Status of Coral Reefs in Maldives and Approaches to Its Management by Abdulla Naseer1, www.fao.org/3/x5627e/x5627e0a.htm. • “Plant and Animal Life.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/place/Nile-River/Plant-andanimal-life.
