What makes an ocean ecosystem work?
A reef is more than fish and coral. Sunlight, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and the living community all interact.
Un arrecife es mucho más que peces y corales. La luz solar, la temperatura, la salinidad, el oxígeno disuelto y los organismos vivos interactúan entre sí.
Tap an element to see a field note / Toca un elemento para leer una observación.
🌿 Biotic / Biótico
Living organisms and biological processes; nonliving remains are discussed by origin versus current status below.
Organismos vivos y procesos biológicos; los restos no vivos requieren distinguir su origen y estado actual.
- Seagrass / pastos marinos
- Phytoplankton / fitoplancton
- Fish / peces
- Coral animals / animales coralinos
💧 Abiotic / Abiótico
Nonliving physical or chemical conditions and materials, including water, rock and sand.
Condiciones y materiales físicos o químicos no vivos, como agua, rocas y arena.
- Salinity / salinidad
- Temperature / temperatura
- Sunlight / luz solar
- Dissolved oxygen / oxígeno disuelto
Scientific Thinking / Pensamiento científico
Scientists distinguish a material's origin from its current role. Living coral animals are biotic. Water, rock and sand are nonliving abiotic materials. Shells and dead coral skeletons came from organisms but no longer function as living organisms. Some curricula classify remains as biotic because of their biological origin; this lesson classifies nonliving shell or coral-skeleton material as an abiotic component today, while identifying its biological origin. Always explain which criterion you use.
En ciencias distinguimos el origen de un material de su función actual. Los animales de coral vivos son bióticos. El agua, las rocas y la arena son materiales abióticos. Las conchas y los esqueletos de coral muerto provienen de organismos, pero ya no están vivos. Algunos currículos clasifican los restos como bióticos por su origen; aquí, un resto no vivo se considera componente abiótico actual, sin olvidar su origen biológico. Explica siempre el criterio usado.
Caribbean field note / Nota de campo caribeña
Some tropical beach sand includes fragments of shells and coral skeletons, and sand-sized particles made by parrotfish grazing. The grains are nonliving, even when their source was biological. Sand composition differs by beach.
Parte de la arena de playas tropicales contiene fragmentos de conchas, esqueletos de coral y partículas producidas por peces loro. Los granos no están vivos, aunque su origen sea biológico. La composición varía entre playas.
03 · Explain with evidence / Explica con evidencia
Field note: after a dry month, dune soil moisture and dune-grass coverage are both lower. Use the evidence-and-reasoning frame; this is practice, not a graded item. You can also discuss your explanation aloud.
Nota: tras un mes seco, disminuyen la humedad del suelo y la cobertura de pastos de la duna. Completa la idea con evidencia y razonamiento; no cuenta para la nota. Puedes explicarla oralmente.
Optional. No free-text entry or microphone upload. / Opcional; no escribas ni grabes.
Select evidence and reasoning to practise a scientific explanation. / Selecciona evidencia y razonamiento para practicar.
Biotic factors exist in all three habitats. Marine reefs have corals and salt water; freshwater ponds have algae and low-salinity water; coastal dunes have grasses and soil moisture. Classify the organism and the physical or chemical condition in each place.
En los tres ambientes hay factores bióticos. Los arrecifes tienen corales y agua salada; los estanques tienen algas y agua poco salina; las dunas costeras tienen pastos y humedad del suelo. Identifica los organismos y las condiciones físicas o químicas.
Sunlight (abiotic) → photosynthesis in seagrass (biotic) → habitat and food for animals (biotic). A change in one factor can affect the entire system.
Luz solar (abiótico) → fotosíntesis de las pastos marinos (biótico) → refugio y alimento para animales (biótico).
Teacher notes · Scientific accuracy & accessibility
Ready to investigate? / ¿Todo listo para investigar?
Learning target (SC.912.L.17.7): Classify and compare biotic and abiotic components of marine, freshwater and terrestrial systems; explain an interaction.
Teacher settings / Configuración docente
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