Coral Bleaching & Acidification
Explain the mutualistic symbiosis between coral polyps and photosynthetic zooxanthellae; describe how heat stress causes bleaching (corals expel zooxanthellae and turn white); explain ocean acidification chemistry: CO2 dissolves in seawater to form carbonic acid, lowering pH and dissolving calcium carbonate skeletons; connect reef loss to the collapse of habitat for ~25% of marine species; evaluate current reef restoration efforts
Typical age: 12–13 years
“Has your child heard of coral bleaching? Can they explain what's actually happening to the coral — what breaks down between the coral and the tiny algae living inside it, and why warmer or more acidic water triggers this?”
0 / 0 mastered
Explore graph
Needs first
- Ocean Currents and Global HeatREQUIRED
Coral reef bleaching and ocean acidification depends on understanding thermohaline circulation and ocean heat dynamics
- Predator Loss and Ecosystem EffectsREQUIRED
Coral reef crisis as a case study in ecosystem collapse connects to broader trophic cascade and food web disruption
- Ocean EcosystemsREQUIRED
Coral reef collapse and marine biodiversity depends on ocean ecosystem structure