Research by marine biologists from Wageningen University has shown that feeding on zooplankton by scleractinian corals has been greatly underestimated.
Scientists from Taiwan and Israel have found that octocorals are important reef builders. This exciting discovery makes us rethink the very nature of coral reefs.
Epizoic coral flatworms have been found to compete with their coral host for zooplankton. This finding is in agreement with the theory that symbiotic coral flatworms are parasitic.
Small polyped stony corals are often believed to simply rely on strong lighting and dissolved nutrients. But even these corals capture significant amounts of plankton.
| Reef species |
| Written by Tim Wijgerde |
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Coral reefs harbour a vast array of marine species, which all contribute to these unique ecosystems. This section describes these species one at a time, providing up-to-date information about their biology, from ecology to evolution. |