Lauren Henderson

March 1, 2017

Period 2.

Chapter 7A Project

In chapter 7 there was a lot of things to do with the animals in the ocean. These

include Flatworms, Ribbon worms, Nematodes, Coral, Radial symmetry, Hydrozoans,

THe four types of coral reefs, Humans affecting the coral reefs, and Ocean Acidification.

With out one of these things our oceans could be in some serious damage. Each of

these species has a job for the ocean and if they werent there anymore our ocean

wouldnt be the same.

Flatworms are a phylum which is a soft

bodies worm that lives in a wide range of places.

Flatworms live in a lot of different places but mostly

live in freshwater places. However, nearly half of

flatworm species are parasitic, meaning they

need to live in a host organism to survive. (Where do Flatworms Live| Reference)

Flatworms mostly like living near rocks and reefs. Flatworms can affect many species

including humans, cows, pigs, and cats. They carry many diseases.

Ribbon Worms are just your everyday worm. There are more than 1,000 types of

ribbon worms in the world. Ribbon worms can be found anywhere like the ocean, on the

sidewalk, on the end of a fishing line, dirt. You name it the Ribbon worm most likely can

live there. Some of the Ribbon worms stick to their prey while the others use their
stingers and stab them. How the ribbon worms get

their prey is they spit their vomit on the creature that

kills them.

A Nematode is a worm of the large phylum

Nematoda, such as a roundworm or threadworm.

Nematodes live in dirt because its easier to hide

and blend in with their surroundings. There are about

20,000 nematodes species in the world. Free-living

species are abundant, including nematodes that

feed on bacteria, fungi, and other nematodes, yet

the vast majority of species encountered are poorly understood biologically.

(What Is A Nematode?) A nematode contains about 1,000 somatic cells. Nematodes

are very small and thin.

Coral is a plant that lives at the bottom of the ocean. They are usually found in

packs. Coral is so sharp that it can end up cutting

through your skin. Many smaller animals survive off the

coral for protection and for their houses. There is many

types of coral in all the oceans. Most people think coral is

a plant but since coral does not make up their own food

they are considered a animal. A coral polyp is an

invertebrate that can be no bigger than a pinhead to up to a foot in diameter. (Is

Coral a Plant or Animal) Coral will eat zooplankton and algae.

 Radial symmetry is symmetry around a central axis,

as in a starfish or a tulip flower. Radial symmetry animals are

where they have a top and a bottom. Starfish are considered

radial symmetry because it has five sides and it can grow

back after being broken. Other animals that are radial symmetry are jellyfish, urchins,

and sea cucumbers.

Hydrozoans is the proper term for the jellyfish.

Hydrozoans are found in slowly moving water. Hydrozoans are

found in freshwater. Hydrozoans will attach to a plant so they

can attack their prey. Hydrozoans will move by gliding on the

water so they wont be seen in many places. Its very important

for them to blend in so they wont get attacked by other bigger

animals.

There is four types of coral reefs. The four types of coral reefs are fringing reefs,

barrier reefs, atolls, and patch reefs. These coral reefs live in all

different types of water. Fringing reefs grow near the coastline

around islands. The reefs are separated from the shore by

narrow shallow lagoons. The fringing reef is created by small

larva.

We may not realize it but humans affect the coral reefs. When we throw our trash

into the street and it gets washed away into the drain which is connected to the ocean it

goes down to the bottom of the ocean where the reefs will feed on it. Also when our
trash is in the ocean animals eat our trash thinking its

food and dies and then they dont take care of the coral

reefs.

Ocean Acidification affects the coral reefs

because it is killing them. The coral reefs are dying

because everything that is happening. In 1980 the

coral reefs were very healthy but by the time 2010

came along the coral reefs were almost gone. The

ocean acidification can not absorb the calcium that is

need for the coral reef. The coral needs calcium

carbonate to live. Coral bleaching is a big problem as well. Which will make all the coral

go extinct. As seen in this image this coral is bleached.

In conclusion these are very important species for our ocean. And humans need

to work on using less water for pollution. The coral reefs are starting to get bleached

and they are dying out.

Website Title: Reference

Article Title: Where do flatworms live?

Date Accessed: March 03, 2017

Website Title: Wikipedia

Article Title: Nematodes

Publisher: Wikimedia Foundation

Electronically Published: February 27, 2017

Date Accessed: March 03, 2017

Website Title: NOAAs National Ocean Service

Article Title: Are Corals A Plant or Animal?

Electronically Published: October 05, 2010

Date Accessed: March 03, 2017