GIZMO MAST Coral Reef Gizmo Ecosystem 1
Name: Eloy Valdes Date: 5/28/20
Student Exploration: Coral Reefs 1 – Abiotic Factors
Vocabulary: consumer, coral, coral bleaching, coral reef, filter feeder, food chain, food web,
grazer, nutrients, ocean acidification, pH, plankton, predator, producer, sediment, zooxanthellae
Prior Knowledge(Do these BEFORE using the
Gizmo.)
1. Look at the graph to the right. What does it show?
Percentage of coral cover in Caribbean Reefs. It
shows a decline over time
2. Why do you think corals have declined since 1977? people are killing and selling them.
Gizmo
Coral reefs are some of the most diverse habitats on
Earth, home to over a quarter of all marine species. The
Coral Reefs Gizmo provides a simplified model of
interactions among 10 key species in Caribbean reefs. In
the Coral Reefs 1 exploration, you will focus on the effects
of environmental factors on Caribbean reefs.
2019
, Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A:
On the CONDITIONS tab, click Return to original
The Caribbean
settings. Click Restart.
reef ecosystem
Select the CORAL REEF tab.
Introduction: A healthy Caribbean reef is home to over 50 species of coral and over 400 fish
species. In this simplified model, we only consider the interactions of ten important species.
Question: How do different species interact in a healthy coral reef?
1. Describe: On the CORAL REEF tab, click on each organism shown in the table below. For
each organism, give its name and what it eats (or how it obtains energy).
Picture Name What it eats (or how it obtains energy)
Staghorn Coral photosynthetic symbiotic algae
Boulder Star Coral photosynthetic symbiotic algae
Sponge plankton
Algae sun
Stoplight Parrotfish algae
Queen Angelfish sponge
yellowtail Snapper young fish, crabs, shrimp, and worms
Nassau Grouper Long-
Many reef fish
spine
Sea Urchin algae
Hawksbill Sea Turtle sponge
2. Corals obtain energy from tiny photosynthetic algae, called zooxanthellae, which live inside
the coral’s tissue. How do you think corals would be affected by cloudy, muddy water?
2019
Name: Eloy Valdes Date: 5/28/20
Student Exploration: Coral Reefs 1 – Abiotic Factors
Vocabulary: consumer, coral, coral bleaching, coral reef, filter feeder, food chain, food web,
grazer, nutrients, ocean acidification, pH, plankton, predator, producer, sediment, zooxanthellae
Prior Knowledge(Do these BEFORE using the
Gizmo.)
1. Look at the graph to the right. What does it show?
Percentage of coral cover in Caribbean Reefs. It
shows a decline over time
2. Why do you think corals have declined since 1977? people are killing and selling them.
Gizmo
Coral reefs are some of the most diverse habitats on
Earth, home to over a quarter of all marine species. The
Coral Reefs Gizmo provides a simplified model of
interactions among 10 key species in Caribbean reefs. In
the Coral Reefs 1 exploration, you will focus on the effects
of environmental factors on Caribbean reefs.
2019
, Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A:
On the CONDITIONS tab, click Return to original
The Caribbean
settings. Click Restart.
reef ecosystem
Select the CORAL REEF tab.
Introduction: A healthy Caribbean reef is home to over 50 species of coral and over 400 fish
species. In this simplified model, we only consider the interactions of ten important species.
Question: How do different species interact in a healthy coral reef?
1. Describe: On the CORAL REEF tab, click on each organism shown in the table below. For
each organism, give its name and what it eats (or how it obtains energy).
Picture Name What it eats (or how it obtains energy)
Staghorn Coral photosynthetic symbiotic algae
Boulder Star Coral photosynthetic symbiotic algae
Sponge plankton
Algae sun
Stoplight Parrotfish algae
Queen Angelfish sponge
yellowtail Snapper young fish, crabs, shrimp, and worms
Nassau Grouper Long-
Many reef fish
spine
Sea Urchin algae
Hawksbill Sea Turtle sponge
2. Corals obtain energy from tiny photosynthetic algae, called zooxanthellae, which live inside
the coral’s tissue. How do you think corals would be affected by cloudy, muddy water?
2019
