User:Novaber24/New sandbox

= Primnoa pacifica = Primnoa pacifica or red tree coral is a species of soft coral in the family Primnoidae]. It is a deep water coral found in the North Pacific Ocean, and plays an integral role in supporting benthic ecosystems.[5][6] Red tree corals grow up and out, producing structures of calcite and gorgonin skeletons that form dense thickets.[4] Like other species of coral, red tree coral is made of a soluble form of calcium carbonate, which forms the reef structure, as well as provides food, shelter, and nutrients for surrounding organisms. Amongst the organisms red tree corals provide a home for, many are commercially important fish and crustaceans.[6] These areas of marine habitat are listed as Habitat Areas of Particular Concern. However, anthropogenic impacts such as bottom trawling pose large-scale threats to these habitats.[5] There are also worries about the effects of ocean acidification on red tree coral, since it shares many of the same properties as other coral that is suffering from bleaching.

Description
Like other corals, red tree corals grow on hard substrates.[4] The anatomy of a red tree coral consists of a holdfast base attached to the hard substrate, a bilaterally extending internal skeleton made of gorgonin and calcite, and colonies of polyps covering the skeleton.[4] The primnoa pacifica is different from other coral in its family because of its spinose basal scales. They also have narrower medial scales and large marginal scales, giving them a distinct shape.[3]

Distribution and habitat
Primnoa pacifica is typically a deep water coral normally found between 150 metres (490 ft) and 900 metres (3,000 ft). In 2010, it was found in the unique habitat of the Tracy Arm fjord between 20 feet (6.1 m) and 100 feet (30 m) and in Alaskan waters, including under glaciers. Since 2010, the coral has also been discovered in other Pacific regions, including the water surrounding Japan.

Growth and reproduction
Red tree coral growth rate has yet to be well established. Past studies have shown radial growth rates of .33 to .74 millimeters per year and axial growth rates of 2.41 to 6.39 centimeters per year. More recent studies, however have shown radial growth of 0.14 to .57 millimeters per year and axial growth rates 1.60 to 2.32 centimeters per year.[4]

Relationship with humans
Commercial deep sea trawling and fishing cause major disturbances to red tree coral habitats.[5] Trawl nets and fishing hooks can easily damage or uproot the delicate red tree coral’s gorgonian skeleton, effectively killing large amounts of the coral.[4] After a disturbance event, red tree corals do not return to their original state for tens to hundreds of years.[4] Once a location of these deep sea oases is established, the habitats are protected by legislation prohibiting bottom commercial activity in the waters surrounding them.[6] Red tree corals are also threatened by rising global temperatures and oil spills.[4]