Question

Describe the following community interaction. Include what the interaction is, and how each organism is involved in the interaction. Most reef-building corals contain photosynthetic algae, called zooxanthellae, that live in their tissues. The coral provides the algae with a protected environment and compounds they need for photosynthesis. In return, the algae produce oxygen and help the coral to remove wastes.

Answer 1

The community interaction between corals and zooxanthellae is a mutualistic relationship where corals supply algae with resources for photosynthesis, and in turn, algae provide oxygen and waste removal, aiding in building extensive coral reefs.

Step-by-step explanation:

The community interaction described between reef-building corals and the photosynthetic algae zooxanthellae is known as a mutualistic relationship. In this symbiosis, the corals provide the zooxanthellae with a safe environment and the compounds necessary for photosynthesis, such as carbon dioxide and nutrients.

In return, these algae help the coral by producing oxygen, essential for the coral's respiration, and by aiding in the coral's waste removal. Furthermore, carbon fixation by the algae contributes significantly to the energy needs of the corals, thus enabling them to build extensive reef structures out of calcium carbonate which in turn offer habitat for a wide range of marine life.