During this museum educator-led program, students explore how Smithsonian scientists measure the biodiversity of coral reefs using nondestructive methods. They will model the same scientific processes used by our scientists by observing and analyzing images of plates with the actual organisms that live in the Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) to better understand human impact on coral reefs. Based upon their observations students develop, test, and refine explanations and potential recommendations for protecting and preserving coral reefs. In-person programs take place at the museum in Washington, D.C.
Online Version
Online school programs are on hold for fall 2023. Please check back periodically for updates regarding the return of the programs in 2024.
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Registration is now open for programs from October 2, 2023, to February 2, 2024.
Tropical coral reefs are amazing underwater habitats. Known as rainforests of the ocean, coral reefs have over 4,000 species of fish and support 25 percent of marine species at one point in their life cycles. Coral reefs did not suddenly appear in the ocean but were built step-by-step by various animals over millions of years to become the habitats that they are today.
Over time, reef species have changed but the functions and roles of the different species have remained similar. In this video, we will have a general overview of how the ecosystem is built, showing some of the major plant and animal groups that are part of these complex systems.
Scientists from around the world work together to study all the plants and animals that live in these reef systems, so they can better understand changes over time. Here our scientists present step-by-step how the biodiversity of a reef system is built. Let's go over the different groups now.
First, stony corals or hard corals are what create the foundation of the reef. A reef is started when the free swimming coral larvae attach to hard surfaces along the edges of islands or continents and start to grow. These tiny animals are called coral polyps and they create tiny stone skeletons to live in. They take calcium carbonate, the same mineral that makes up chalk and shells, from the water to form the mineral skeleton. These animals live in colonies that form large stony coral structures. As living animals they provide structure and a food source and once the polyps die their hard skeletons still contribute to the reef by adding complex structure and habitat for other plants and animals.
There are over 3,000 species of stony corals, coming in all sorts of shapes and structures. The more complex 3D space a reef has, the more life it will attract.
Once stony corals are established, soft coral and sponges will come in and attach themselves to the new hard surfaces the stony corals have created. The soft corals are related to stony corals, but do not create a calcium carbonate skeleton. Sponges are animals; they have bodies full of pores and channels that allow water to filter through them to feed.
These flexible animals add complexity and color to a reef. Like the soft coral, different types of algae depend on a hard bottom to land on and provide protection from the waves. They grow here and provide an important food source for animals that live on the reef.
Speaking of animals, small invertebrates, or animals without backbones, are another important group on the reef. They will eat the algae, soft corals, and sponges and will also use the coral reef structure as shelter to hide from predators.
Also attracted to the algae and coral are herbivorous fish, which eat plants, and corallivorous fish which eat coral. These fish will eat the algae and coral, which helps maintain the structure of the reef.
Then come the mid-level predators: the carnivorous fish that will eat the smaller animals. These carnivorous fish keep the herbivorous
and coralivorous fish and invertebrates in check so they do not eat all the algae, coral, and sponges.
And finally, top level predators are animals that prey on the carnivorous fish and are attracted to all the life that is in a coral reef. The top predators also contribute in keeping balance in the coral reef food chain.
Coral reefs are complex habitats that are home to many different marine species. Let's recap the different groups of plants and animals that make up a coral reef ecosystem. Can you recall each group's major function?
Let's go over it. To start stony coral make up the reef foundation, and then the soft coral and sponges add to the structure. The algae adds to the structure and is a food source. Small invertebrates eat the coral and algae. The herbivorous fish and coralivorous fish eat the coral and algae to maintain structure.
Mid-level predator fish eat the smaller animals, and finally the top predators maintain balance in the food chain by feeding on other reef species.
Well done! Now you know the general structure of tropical reef systems. There are many different groups involved that are in balance with each other, and if there is an imbalance, for example if stony coral die, other organisms like algae or soft corals can take over the space that is left behind. Understanding how these reef systems are constructed helps scientists ask questions and investigate when the reef is out of balance from impacts of climate change, overfishing, pollution, and even disease. By understanding these systems we can help protect them better.
Bring Smithsonian and other scientists into your home and classroom with Smithsonian Science How, a series of live video webinars that connect science experts with students. These new webinars will connect your students with the core content of the Reefs Unleashed school programs and provide students with an opportunity to extend their learning in the content area.
There are no reef webinars scheduled at this time.
Extension Resources
Join Ocean Educator Meaghan Cuddy as she showcases highlights of the Sant Ocean Hall in these 2-5 minute video narrated tours.
The video playlist includes:
Sant Ocean Hall: Introduction
Sant Ocean Hall: Carcharocles megalodon
Sant Ocean Hall: North Atlantic Right Whale
Sant Ocean Hall: Indo-Pacific Coral Reef
This activity will guide students through a virtual exploration of the Sant Ocean Hall. By navigating through a variety of ocean exhibits, students will investigate some of our most fascinating specimens. At each of the eight tour stops, students will make observations and respond to questions in order to explore the themes of a global ocean, marine biodiversity, and human impacts on the natural world.
Estimated time to complete: 30-60 minutes Download activity packet for students:
Corals and Coral Reefs: Coral reefs are an incredibly important part of the ocean ecosystem, but what exactly are they? What is a coral?
Ocean Acidification: Ocean acidification is one of the greatest threats faced by coral reefs today. What is ocean acidification? How is it harming the reefs and the creatures who live there?
Middle School:
Reef Protection in Cabo Pulmo, Mexico: Can legal protection help save coral reefs? Learn about some of the laws enacted by the citizens of Cabo Pulmo, Mexico, and if they have been successful in protecting their environment.
Reef Rescue: Protect Coral Reefs with Your Actions: Is there anything you can do at home to protect the coral reefs? Learn about responsible, reef-protecting behaviors whether you’re at the beach or far from it!
High School:
Massive Citizen Science Effort Seeks to Survey the Entire Great Barrier Reef: Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is 1,400 miles long! How can scientists possibly study all the organisms that live there? By harnessing the power of citizen scientists - ordinary people who help scientists collect data for their research.
Naturally Resilient: Why are some coral reefs particularly resilient - able to bounce back after major disasters - and others are not? Compare life at the Bikini Atoll, where nuclear tests blasted craters into the reef, with other reefs around the world. What does a reef need to be resilient?
Advanced:
On the Trail of DNA in the Ocean: The Reefs Unleashed program briefly mentions the use of eDNA to measure the biodiversity in the ocean. What is this cutting edge science, and how are researchers using it to learn more about the health of an ecosystem?
Use this hands-on activity, Biocubes – Exploring Biodiversity, to help your learners connect with the natural world while practicing scientific thinking and science skills. A biocube is a fun, informative, and manageable way of exploring the biodiversity in the world around you by focusing on a cubic foot of space. By looking closely and documenting the life in a small area, one can get a better understanding of how different ecosystems are structured and how they function.
Biocube at Home is modified from the original Biocubes – Exploring Biodiversity activity to be done at home by individuals or family groups.
