Question

when corals are damaged, they can grow back over time. but their growth is usually slow. corals may need many years to regrow parts that are damaged.
seaweed, which also lives on reefs, grows much faster than corals. seaweed can grow on damaged corals, which are too weak to defend themselves.
when seaweed grows over corals, it can make the corals weaker or even kill them.
corals with more damage can be killed by seaweed more easily. over time, an entire reef may become covered with seaweed instead of corals.
many species rely on corals for shelter. so, reefs covered in seaweed cannot support as many species as reefs covered in corals can. tourists are also much less likely to visit a reef covered in seaweed than one covered in coral.
based on the information above, complete the table to describe the differences between coral and seaweed.

Explanation:

• Growth rate: The text states "their growth is usually slow" for corals and "Seaweed...grows much faster than corals". So for "grows slower", coral is checked; for "grows faster", seaweed is checked.
• Biodiversity and ecosystem services: "Many species rely on corals for shelter. So, reefs covered in seaweed cannot support as many species as reefs covered in corals" implies corals help with higher biodiversity and more ecosystem services (since more species mean more complex ecosystem functions).

Answer:

Characteristic	Coral	Seaweed
grows faster		●
helps a reef have higher biodiversity	●
helps a reef provide more ecosystem services	●