The Algae Expert

The Organization has chosen you as the resident algae expert.  We do understand, however, that it has been a number of years since your last algae-adventure and we are therefore giving you the opportunity to review algae-related information before you are to report back to the group.  This review can easily be completed using the sources listed below.

Web sites:
Getting Up-To-Date on Zooxanthellae
  Algae and the Reef
Zooxanthellae

 
Textbooks:
Introductory Oceanography, 8th Edition, pages 441-445
(Or check with the librarian for books on oceanography)

Here are a few key points you will want to keep in mind as you begin your research:

* You are looking specifically at algae that lives in the ocean and that has some sort of interaction with coral reefs.  The Organization has come up with one algae that seems particularly involved with coral reefs - zooxanthellae (suggestion: concentrate on this algae, know its characteristics and its effects/relationships with other organisms).

* The Organization has found that the coral reefs loss of color may have something to do with algae (suggestion: find out if the zooxanthellae has an effect on coral reef color and if it does, continue your research to find out how).