Vegetarian diet of corals explains age-old mystery dating back to Darwin

-poor oceans, these compounds can be found in considerable amounts as excretion products of organisms, such as sponges, that live close by. They can also be transferred to reefs by ocean currents.

Dr Cecilia D'Angelo propagating corals in the Coral Reef Laboratory at the University of Southampton. Credit: Wiedenmann / D'Angelo / University of Southampton Growth of the experimental coral Stylophora pistillata. Credit: Mardones-Velozo / D'Angelo / Wiedenmann / University of Southampton Professor Jörg Wiedenmann of the University of Southampton adds,"We used 10 different coral species to quantify how the symbiont population grew along with their hosts. Using mathematical models of the symbiont growth, we could show that the corals digest the excess part of their symbiont population to harvest nutrients for their growth. Our data suggest that most symbiotic corals can supplement their nutrition through such a 'vegetarian diet.

Professor Nick Graham, Marine Ecologist from Lancaster University, explains,"The reefs around some of these islands are supplied with substantial amounts of nutrients that come from 'guano,' the excrements of the seabirds nesting on the islands. On other islands, the seabird colonies have been decimated by invasive rats. Accordingly, the associated reefs receive less nutrients.

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