DENSITAS ZOOXANTHELLA PADA KARANG Acropora sp DI PULAU SIKUAI KOTA PADANG SUMATERA BARAT PROVINSI SUMATERA BARAT

Abstract

Zooxanthella is one of the biota in the dinoflagellate fototropik. This organisms are always living in symbiosis with the coral reefs. The relationship between coral and zooxanthella was symbiotic mutualism, where zooxanthella provided oxygen and organic compounds as results of photosynthetic, while corals gives protection and carbon dioxide as waste result from the reef. The purposed research to determined the density of zooxanthella in the tip and base of the coral Acropora sp. The research was carried out from June 2012 to July 2012 at the Island City Sikuai Padang West Sumatra. The results showed that the difference in density at the tip and base zooxanthella coral Acropora sp not significant, and evidenced by the results of the t Test where t Count bigger than t Table.