Question

What is the relationship between the distribution of coral polyps and the population

density of plankton in the water?

a. Coral polyp distribution is independent of plankton density because they live in different geographical locations.

b. If there is a high density of plankton in the water, then there will be a high coral polyp distribution.

c. If there is a high density of plankton in the water then there will be a low coral polyp
distribution.

d. The relationship between coral polyp distribution and plankton density is limited because they have different food sources.

Answer 1

Coral polyps and zooxanthellae algae live in a symbiotic relationship to create coral reefs. The polyps give shelter to the algae while the algae create food for the polyp by photosynthesis. Therefore, the higher the density of phytoplankton, the higher the density of coral polyps.

Step-by-step explanation: