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QLDMarine ScienceQuick questions
Unit 3: Marine systems - connections and change
Quick questions on Connectivity of marine ecosystems (QCE Marine Science Unit 3)
3short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What are mangroves?Show answer
Mangroves (such as the grey mangrove _Avicennia marina_) grow in the intertidal zone. Their roots trap sediment carried down by rivers, which keeps the water flowing onto seagrass and reef clearer and reduces smothering. They are highly productive and export nutrients and detritus seaward, feeding offshore food webs. Their tangled prop roots are nursery habitat where juvenile fish and prawns shelter from predators.
What are seagrass meadows?Show answer
Seagrass meadows (such as _Zostera muelleri_ in Moreton Bay) stabilise the sea floor with their roots, reducing erosion and keeping water clear. They are highly productive nursery grounds and the primary food of dugongs and green turtles. Like mangroves, they trap sediment and cycle nutrients, buffering the reef from runoff.
What are coral reefs?Show answer
Reefs absorb wave energy, sheltering the seagrass and mangroves shoreward of them from storm damage. They supply sand (from broken coral and shells) that builds beaches and cays, and they are home to fish that feed across all three habitats.
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