Coral reefs are found in warm, shallow, sunny waters and are made up of small coral polyp animals composed of calcium carbonate. Coral reefs provide a home to many marine species and help drive carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen cycles through their diverse microbial communities. These microbial communities include symbiotic algae like zooxanthellae that live within the coral tissues and perform photosynthesis to provide energy and nutrients to the coral polyps while also giving the coral their coloration. Environmental stressors such as increased water temperatures can cause the loss of zooxanthellae and lead to coral bleaching.

1. CORAL REEF -
MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES
SUBMITTED BY
M.NARAYANI
I MSC MICROBIOLOGY
SUBMITTED TO
Ms. MOHANA PRIYA
Environment microbiology

2. •Coral reef
•Types
•Microbial
communities

3. CORAL REEF
Lies in warm,shallow water,clear,sunny,agitated
Belongs to the class:Anthozoa
Animal:Phylum cnidaria
Includes Sea anemones & jelly fish
Coral are small animals (polyps) that have tiny
tentacles for feeding from micro plankton
Each polyps are made up of calcium carbonate

4. • Rainforests of the sea
• They provide a home for all
marine species
• Coral skeletons have
various forms spherical,star
shapen,pilar-shaped
• Commonly found at
shallow depths in trophical
water
• But also found in deep
water & cold water

5. Types of coral reef

6. Microbial communities of coral reef

7. Microbes are present in coral reef
They contribute to carbon,sulfur,nitrogen
cycles
Also phosphorous fixation,organic
remediation,production of antibiotics &
Secondary metabolism
Bacteria also play in larval recruitment and
settlement
Eg: Alphaproteobacterium,Roseivivax sp.

8. Zooxanthellae,is a symbiotic algae associated
with coral skeleton
It uses photosynthesis to produce energy &
nutrients
That the coral polyp needs to survive
It also give coral their colour
Loss of zooxanthellae ,coral becomes stressed
It results in coral bleaching
Also environmental stress,such as poor water
quality,increased water temperatures
Cause bleaching

10. Thank you