9 - 12th grade (Life Science/Ecosystem Dynamics)
Similar to their shallow-water relatives, deep-sea corals function as foundation species in their communities, providing food, structure, and habitat for many other species. This investigation features data and images from deep-sea coral gardens that students will use to construct an explanation for the deep-sea phenomenon: How does the presence of Lophelia pertusa affect other organisms in a deep-sea coral ecosystem?