Deep Gardens (Adapted from the Florida Coast Deep Corals 2005 Expedition)

Home , Acanella, Fire coral, Gorgonia, Lophelia, Madrepora

2006 Olympic Coast Deep Corals Expedition

Deep Gardens (adapted from the Florida Coast Deep Corals 2005 Expedition)

Focus Teaching Time Deep-sea coral reefs One or two 45-minute class periods

Grade Level Seating Arrangement 5-6 (Life Science) Classroom style

Focus Question Maximum Number of Students How do deep-sea coral reefs compare to coral 30 reefs in shallow tropical waters? Key Words Learning Objectives Deep-sea coral Students will be able to compare and contrast Lophelia pertusa deep-sea coral reefs with their shallow-water Cnidaria counterparts. Background Information Students will be able to describe three types of For hundreds of years, fishermen have harvested coral associated with deep-sea coral reefs. coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest. Yet, the deepwater habitats that support these fisheries Students will be able to explain three benefits are poorly studied and in many cases completely associated with deep-sea coral reefs. unknown. On deeper portions of the continental shelves, hard or “live” bottom habitats support Students will be able to explain why many scien- diverse biological communities that provide the tists are concerned about the future of deep-sea foundation for the food web of many commercially- coral reefs. important species. Deep-water corals, particularly corals belonging to the genus Lophelia, form reefs Materials that may have a diversity of species comparable  Access to the internet, or copies of materials to that of corals reefs in shallow waters. Often, cited in “Learning Procedure” sponges and soft corals are important parts of  Copies of “Deep-Water Coral Reefs Report these reefs as well. But although shallow coral Guide,” one copy for each student or student reefs have been studied extensively, scientists know group very little about about the ecology of coral commu-  Bulletin board or poster board nities in depths beyond the range of SCUBA gear.

Audio/Visual Materials The Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary  None (OCNMS) is an area of 3,310 square miles off 2006 Olympic Coast Deep Corals Expedition – Grades 5-6 (Life Science) Focus: Deep-sea coral reefs oceanexplorer.noaa.gov

of Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, as Sanctuary. The Expedition used an underwater well as 135 miles of shoreline that includes some robot called ROPOS (Remotely Operated Platform of the last remaining wilderness coastline in the for Ocean Science) owned by the Canadian lower 48 states. The seaward boundary of the Scientific Submersible Facility to obtain video and Sanctuary extents 40 miles offshore to depths of photographic documentation of deep-sea coral 1,400 m, and encompasses most of the continen- and sponge communities, as well as to collect tal shelf, as well as a variety of marine habitats biological samples from these communities for including kelp beds, subtidal reefs, rocky and species identification. Specific objectives of the sandy intertidal zones, submarine canyons and Expedition included: plankton-rich upwelling zones. Acoustic surveys • Locating and mapping deep-sea coral and between 2001 and 2004 revealed deep, hard- sponge communities in the Sanctuary; bottom areas that scientists believe may include • Characterizing diversity, abundance, and extensive coral and sponge communities. These health of living marine resources associated habitats are part of one of the most productive with these communities; and marine ecosystems in North America, and sup- • Documenting the impact of fishing activities port many commercial fisheries, including halibut, on these communities. hake, salmon, and rockfish. The overall mission of the OCNMS was to protect the Olympic Coast’s In this lesson, students will explore the variety of natural and cultural resources by conserving its corals found on deep-water coral reefs, potential resources as well as encouraging uses that are benefits that these reefs offer, and why scientists compatible with conservation. are concerned about their future.

A growing concern among managers of the Learning Procedure OCNMS is the impact of bottom-fishing on deep- 1. To prepare for this lesson, read the introduc- water coral and sponge habitats. Species that tory essays for the Olympic Coast Deep Corals form deep-water habitats typically have long life- Expedition at http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/ spans, slow growth rates, and fragile structures 06olympic. that make them particularly vulnerable and slow to recover from physical damage. Many investiga- 2. Briefly review the basic biology and classifi- tions have reported large-scale damage to deep- cation of the phylum Cnidaria (for an easy water reefs caused by commercial fishing trawlers. introduction to the phylum, check out http://www. There is also concern about damage that might ucmp.berkeley.edu/cnidaria/cnidaria.html). You may also result from other activities such as exploration and want to view and possibly download the video extraction of fossil fuels, and trenching for instal- of deep-sea corals from http://oceanexplorer.noaa. lation of submarine cables. Because the mission gov/explorations/02alaska/logs/summary/media/movies/deep- of the OCNMS is to protect the Olympic Coast’s seacoral_video.html. Alternatively, you may want to resources for the use and enjoyment of future gen- have students research answers to a series of erations, there is an urgent need to locate deep- questions based on the following list. Here are sea coral and sponge communities so appropriate some points that you may want to include in protective actions can be taken. this review: • ‘Cnidaria’ means ‘stinging nettle’ in Greek; The central objective of the Olympic Coast Deep the name comes from the stinging cells called Corals Expedition was to document the location nematocysts, which are the primary distin- and condition of deep-sea coral and sponge com- guishing characteristic of the phylum; nema- munities in the Olympic Coast National Marine tocysts often contain toxins; some box jellies

2006 Olympic Coast Deep Corals Expedition – Grades 5-6 (Life Science) oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Deep-sea coral reefs

have toxins powerful enough to kill humans. • The phylum Cnidaria is divided into four • All Cnidarians live in water. classes (there more classes, but they only con- • Cnidarians are radially symmetrical. tain extinct species): class Anthozoa includes • There are two body plans among the the corals, anemones, and sea pens; class Cnidaria: the “jellyfish plan” is called a Cubozoa includes the highly toxic box jel- medusa, which has an umbrella-shaped body lies; class Hydrozoa includes hydroids, fire with the mouth facing downwards, surround- corals, and animals resembling jellyfish like ed by tentacles; the “flower plan” is called the Portuguese man-of-war; class Scyphozoa a polyp, which has a body resembling the includes the true jellyfish. trunk or stem of a plant with its mouth facing • The life cycle of many cnidarians includes upwards, also surrounded by tentacles; the a polyp phase as well as a medusa phase, other end of the polyp is usually attached to but there is never a medusa phase in the a fixed surface. Anthozoa (for more about cnidarian repro- • Cnidarians have nerve cells and muscles, but duction, see the lesson plan, “Architects of do not have organs such as brains, hearts, the Deep Reef” at http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/ circulatory or excretory systems. explorations/03mex/background/edu/media/mexdh_archi- • Cnidarians have simple digestive systems tects.pdf). without an anus; the mouth is used for output as well as input. 3. Assign one of the following coral species or • Most cnidarians are carnivorous; many feed groups to each student: on small particles of detritus and plankton, but Acanella sp. others are able to capture and eat large prey. Antipatharia • Some cnidarians, including many corals, Callogorgia sp. have symbiotic single-celled algae called Gorgonia sp. zooxanthellae that use photosynthesis to pro- Hydrocoral duce food that their cnidarian hosts are able Lophelia pertusa to use; corals that do not have zooxanthellae Madrepora occulata are called azooxanthellate. Octocoral • Many cnidarians, including many corals, are Oculina varicosa colonial, with many individual animals living Paragorgia together as one organism. Primnoa • Cnidarians maintain their shape with fluids Scleractinia inside their bodies (this is called a hydrostatic skeleton). Tell students that their assignment is to find, • Some cnidarians also produce a hard internal copy, and label (with the name of the coral) a skeleton of limestone (this is what makes some photograph of their assigned coral, and pre- of the hard structures that form coral reefs). pare a brief report (three to five paragraphs) • Some corals are used to make jewelry; coral that includes answers to questions on the reefs protect many coastal areas from ero- “Deep-Water Coral Reefs Report Guide.” You sion and storm damage, provide habitat and may choose to provide copies of the following nursery areas for fishes that provide food for articles, or provide the url links, or allow stu- many people around the world, and support dents to discover these (or others) on their own: tourist industries in many countries; some reef- dwelling organisms are the source for impor- “What are deep-sea corals?” by Lance tant pharmaceuticals. Morgan; Current 21(4):2-4; available

2006 Olympic Coast Deep Corals Expedition – Grades 5-6 (Life Science) Focus: Deep-sea coral reefs oceanexplorer.noaa.gov

online at http://www.mcbi.org/what/what_pdfs/ Paragorgia (common name: bubblegum coral; Current_Magazine/What_are_DSC.pdf class Anthozoa, subclass Octocorallia )

“Trawlers Destroying Deep-Sea Reefs, Primnoa (common name: red trees; class Scientists Say,” by John Pickrell; Anthozoa, subclass Octocorallia) National Geographic News, February 19, 2004 (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/ Scleractinia (common name: stony coral; news/2004/02/0219_040219_seacorals.html) class Anthozoa, subclass Zoantharia, order Scleractinia) 4. Create a collage of deep-sea corals by having each student place the labeled photograph of 5. Lead a discussion of students’ answers to work- their assigned coral on a bulletin board or a sheet questions. Be sure students understand piece of poster board. Some notes about clas- that deep-sea coral reefs: sification and common names are provided • Are at least as diverse as their shallow-water below (note that some authorities use alcyo- counterparts; naria instead of octocorallia): • Provide habitat for many other species (some of which are important human food species); Acanella sp. (common name: bamboo coral; • Probably include organisms that can provide class Anthozoa, subclass Octocorallia) useful drugs to treat human diseases; and • Are severely threatened by human activity, Antipatharia (common name: black coral; class particularly bottom trawling and longlining. Aanthozoa, subclass Hexacorallia, order Antipatharia) The following points should be included: • The majority of coral species live in colder, Callogorgia sp. (common name: gold coral; deeper waters. class Anthozoa, subclass Octocorallia) • Lophelia pertusa is found on deep-sea reefs on continental margins worldwide. Gorgonia sp. (common name: sea fan; class • Because deep-sea exploration is difficult, our Anthozoa, subclass Octocorallia) knowledge of deep-sea environments is very limited, and this has led to the widespread Hydrocoral (common name: fire coral; class assumption that coral reefs are confined to Hydrozoa, order Milleporina) shallow waters. • Gorgonians, alcyonaceans, pennatulaceans, Lophelia pertusa (class Anthozoa, subclass and stoloniferans belong to the subclass Zoantharia, order Scleractinia) Alcyonaria or Octocorallia and are collectively referred to as octocorals or soft corals. Madrepora occulata (class Anthozoa, subclass • Only members of the order Scleractinia actu- Zoantharia, order Scleractinia) ally form true coral “reefs.” • Some deep-sea reefs in the North Atlantic Octocoral (common name: soft coral; class have been found to harbor as many as Anthozoa, subclass Octocorallia) 1,300 invertebrate species. • Growth and reproduction in deep-sea corals Oculina varicosa (common name: ivory tree is very slow. coral; class Anthozoa, subclass Zoantharia, • Some deep-sea corals may be hundreds of order Scleractinia) years old; one individual has been dated at

2006 Olympic Coast Deep Corals Expedition – Grades 5-6 (Life Science) oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Deep-sea coral reefs

1,800 years old. News. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/ • At present, the greatest threat to deep-sea news/2004/02/0219_040219_seacorals.html coral communities is bottom trawling. • In addition to deep-sea corals, sponges also http://www.mcbi.org/what/current.htm – A special issue of form highly diverse communities in the deep Current: The Journal of Marine Education ocean. on deep-sea corals.

The Bridge Connection Morgan, L. E. 2005. What are deep-sea corals? http://www.vims.edu/bridge/ – In the “Site Navigation” Current 21(4):2-4; available online at menu on the left, click on “Ocean Science http://www.mcbi.org/what/what_pdfs/Current_Magazine/ Topics,” then “Biology,” then “Invertebrates,” What_are_DSC.pdf then “Other Inverts” for links to more information about Cnidaria Frame, C. and H. Gillelan. 2005. Threats to deep- sea corals and their conservation in U.S. The “Me” Connection waters. Current 21(4):46-47; available Have students write a short essay on how deep- online at http://www.mcbi.org/what/what_pdfs/ sea coral reefs could be of personal importance, Current_Magazine/Threats_Conservation.pdf and how they might be personally affected by the widespread destruction of these reefs. Roberts, S. and M. Hirshfield. Deep Sea Corals: Out of sight but no longer out of mind. Connections to Other Subjects http://www.oceana.org/fileadmin/oceana/uploads/reports/ English/Language Arts, Earth Science oceana_coral_report_final.pdf — Background on deep-water coral reefs Assessment Written reports and discussions in Steps 3 and 4 http://www.oceanicresearch.org/ – The Oceanic Research provide opportunities for assessment. Group Web site; lots of photos, but note that they are very explicit about their copy- Extensions rights; check out “Cnidarians: Simple but 1. Have students visit http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/ Deadly Animals!” by Jonathan Bird, which explorations/06olympic to explore the discover- provides an easy introduction designed for ies made during the Olympic Coast Deep classroom use Corals Expedition. http://www.mesa.edu.au/friends/seashores/index.html – “Life on 2. See the July 2005 issue of Current: the Australian Seashores” by Keith Davey on the Journal of Marine Education for a special Marine Education Society of Australasia Web issue on deep-sea corals (available online site, with an easy introduction to Cnidaria, at http://www.mcbi.org/what/current.htm), including including their method of reproduction. three lesson plans for Grades 5 - 12. http://www-biol.paisley.ac.uk/courses/Tatner/biomedia/units/cnid1. Resources htm – Phylum Cnidaria on Biomedia of the http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations – Web site for Glasgow University Zoological Museum NOAA’s Ocean Exploration Program on the Biological Sciences, University of Paisley, Scotland Web site; includes expla- Pickrell, J. 2004. Trawlers Destroying Deep-Sea nations of the major classes, a glossary of Reefs, Scientists Say. National Geographic terms, diagrams and photos.

2006 Olympic Coast Deep Corals Expedition – Grades 5-6 (Life Science) Focus: Deep-sea coral reefs oceanexplorer.noaa.gov

http://www.calacademy.org/calwild/2000fall/stories/seavenoms.html National Science Education Standards – Article from California Wild: “Stinging Content Standard A: Science As Inquiry Seas - Tread Softly In Tropical Waters” by • Understandings about scientific inquiry Gary C. Williams; an introduction to the venomous nature of tropical cnidarians, Content Standard C: Life Science why and how they do it • Structure and function in living systems • Populations and ecosystems http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/gallery/livingocean/livingocean_coral. • Diversity and adaptations of organisms html – Ocean Explorer photograph gallery Content Standard D: Earth and Space Science http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02alaska/logs/sum- • Structure of the Earth system mary/media/movies/deepseacoral_video.html – Online video of deep-sea corals from the Ocean Content Standard E: Science and Technology Explorer 2002 Gulf of Alaska Expedition • Understandings about science and technology

http://olympiccoast.noaa.gov/ – Web site for the Olympic Content Standard F: Science in Personal and Social Coast National Marine Sanctuary Perspectives • Populations, resources, and environments http://www.nccos.noaa.gov/ – Web site for the NOAA’s • Risks and benefits National Centers for Coastal Ocean • Science and technology in society Science, which conduct and support research, monitoring, assessments, and Content Standard G: History and Nature of Science technical assistance for coastal stewardship • Science as a human endeavor and management; and participated in the • Nature of science Olympic Coast Deep Corals Expedition Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and http://www.nurp.noaa.gov/ – Web site for the National Fundamental Concepts Undersea Research Program, which pro- Essential Principle 1. vides scientists with the tools and expertise The Earth has one big ocean with many features. for investigations in the undersea environ- • Fundamental Concept h. Although the ocean ment, including submersibles, remotely is large, it is finite and resources are limited. operated vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, mixed gas diving gear, under- Essential Principle 5. water laboratories and observatories, and The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems. other cutting edge technologies • Fundamental Concept d. Ocean biology provides many unique examples of life cycles, http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/ – Web site for the Northwest adaptations and important relationships Fisheries Science Center, which studies liv- among organisms (such as symbiosis, preda- ing marine resources and their habitats in tor-prey dynamics and energy transfer) that the Northeast Pacific Ocean and in fresh- do not occur on land. water rivers and streams in Washington, • Fundamental Concept e. The ocean is three- Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. dimensional, offering vast living space and diverse habitats from the surface through the water column to the seafloor. Most of the living space on Earth is in the ocean. 2006 Olympic Coast Deep Corals Expedition – Grades 5-6 (Life Science) oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Deep-sea coral reefs

Essential Principle 6. sensors and tools are expanding our ability The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected. to explore the ocean. Ocean scientists are • Fundamental Concept b. From the ocean relying more and more on satellites, drifters, we get foods, medicines, and mineral and buoys, subsea observatories and unmanned energy resources. In addition, it provides submersibles. jobs, supports our nation’s economy, serves • Fundamental Concept f. Ocean exploration as a highway for transportation of goods and is truly interdisciplinary. It requires close col- people, and plays a role in national security. laboration among biologists, chemists, clima- • Fundamental Concept c. The ocean is a tologists, computer programmers, engineers, source of inspiration, recreation, rejuvenation geologists, meteorologists, and physicists, and discovery. It is also an important element and new ways of thinking. in the heritage of many cultures. • Fundamental Concept e. Humans affect the Send Us Your Feedback ocean in a variety of ways. Laws, regula- We value your feedback on this lesson. tions and resource management affect what Please send your comments to: is taken out and put into the ocean. Human [email protected] development and activity leads to pollution (such as point source, non-point source, and For More Information noise pollution) and physical modifications Paula Keener-Chavis, Director, Education Programs (such as changes to beaches, shores and riv- NOAA Ocean Exploration Program ers). In addition, humans have removed most Hollings Marine Laboratory of the large vertebrates from the ocean. 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston SC 29412 • Fundamental Concept g. Everyone is respon- 843.762.8818 sible for caring for the ocean. The ocean 843.762.8737 (fax) sustains life on Earth and humans must live in [email protected] ways that sustain the ocean. Individual and collective actions are needed to effectively Acknowledgements manage ocean resources for all. This lesson plan was produced by Mel Goodwin, PhD, The Harmony Project, Charleston, SC Essential Principle 7. for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric The ocean is largely unexplored. Administration. If reproducing this lesson, please • Fundamental Concept a. The ocean is the last cite NOAA as the source, and provide the follow- and largest unexplored place on Earth—less ing URL: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov than 5% of it has been explored. This is the great frontier for the next generation’s explor- ers and researchers, where they will find great opportunities for inquiry and investiga- tion. • Fundamental Concept c. Over the last 40 years, use of ocean resources has increased significantly, therefore the future sustainability of ocean resources depends on our under- standing of those resources and their potential and limitations. • Fundamental Concept d. New technologies,

2006 Olympic Coast Deep Corals Expedition – Grades 5-6 (Life Science) oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Deep-sea coral reefs

Student Handout Deep-Water Coral Reefs Report Guide

1. Are more coral species found in warm, shallow water or cold, deep water?

2. What is one species of deep-sea coral that is found in large reefs on the European continental margin from Norway to Portugal?

3. Why have coral reefs been considered to be confined to shallow waters?

4. Gorgonians, alcyonaceans, pennatulaceans, and stoloniferans belong to the subclass and are collectively referred to as .

5. Only members of the order actually form true coral “reefs.”

6. Some deep-sea reefs in the North Atlantic have been found to harbor invertebrate species.

7. How rapidly do deep-sea corals grow and reproduce?

8. How long do deep-sea corals live?

9. At present, what is the greatest threat to deep-sea coral communities?

10. In addition to deep-sea corals, what other invertebrates form highly diverse communities in the deep ocean?