Coral Reef

Biotic Factors

Crustaceans, Algae, Coral, Fish, Seaweed

Abiotic Factors

Oxygen, Carbon dioxide, Water, Sand, Rocks, Shells, Temperature, Light

Biodiversity

High: They are home to more than 25% of marine life

Limiting Factors

Temperature, Nutrients, Sunlight (Transparency & Depth), Salinity

Carrying Capacity

Medium-High: Coral reefs are very vulnerable to changes in the environment. However, they still hold a variety of organisms and species that is sufficient compared to other biomes.

Plants

Plant 1: Turtle Seagrass

Taxonomy

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Tracheophyta

Class: Angiosperm

Order: Najadales

Family: Hydrocharitaceae

Genus: Thalassia

Species: testudinum

Adaptations

Seagrass has horizontal roots called rhizomes. These roots help the plant stay in one place as external forces (animals and waves) push against it.
In order to survive in the marine environment, this seagrass had to adapt to live in a salt water setting. The mature leaves are salt water tolerant.
Young seagrasses are not tolerant to saltwater so the plant has developed an adaptation. It grows young seagrass leaves inside a protective sheath where they are surrounded by fresh water. The mature leaves remove the salt from the water until the leaf inside has the ability to survive in a salt water environment.
These seagrasses can reproduce both sexually and asexually. Therefore, if one is not available at the time, the seagrass can continue to survive throughout the biome.

Plant 2: Mangrove

Taxonomy

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Tracheophyta

Class: Polypodiopsida

Order: Polypodiales

Family: Pteridaceae

Genus: Acrostichum

Species: danaeifolium

Adaptations

Mangroves have leaves with glands that have the ability to excrete salt. This allows the plant to keep the amount of salt in its leaves at a safe level. If there is too much, it will begin to discard the excess salt.
A vital ability that ensure its survival in a salty environment is its control of small pores that carbon dioxide and water vapor are exchanged. Essentially, this means that the mangrove is able to conserve its fresh water. They then utilize this water to carry out its internal processes
Also mangroves are able to reduce the loss of water through their leaves by turning their leaves away from the sun. Again, this is important to keep the amount of freshwater in its body at a high enough level.
Mangroves have far-reaching, exposed roots for a reason. In general, the serve as structural support in the soft soils that mangroves are found in. This means that their roots serve as both a recipient of water and keep the plant from being dragged away by currents or water movements.