MarkRApr 27, 2023
#Interesting #Reefs #Corallivores #Grazers
https://blog.frontiersin.org/2023/04/13/coral-eating-fish-poo-may-act-as-probiotics-for-reefs/?id_mc=312721748&utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NL+04+2023&utm_id=2076349&amp=1
Coral-eating fish poo may act as ‘probiotics’ for reefs - Science & research news | Frontiers

by Angharad Brewer Gillham, Frontiers science writer Coral-eating fish are thought to weaken coral reefs because they consume coral tissue, whereas grazer fish are assumed to have positive effects because they eat algae that compete with corals. However, a new study shows that feces from coral-eating fish contain bacteria that can be beneficial to corals.

Science & research news | Frontiers - The latest science & research news from Frontiers - Publishing the most cited open-access journals in their fields
Lukas VFN 🇪🇺Apr 13, 2023

Feces from coral-eating #fish may act as probiotics for reefs https://phys.org/news/2023-04-feces-coral-eating-fish-probiotics-reefs.html https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1110346/full

Until recently, fish that eat coral were thought to weaken reef structures, while fish that consume #algae were thought to keep reefs healthy. But scientists have discovered that feces from #grazers leave large lesions on coral, possibly because they contain coral #pathogens. By contrast, feces from #corallivores may provide a source of beneficial #microbes that help coral thrive.

Feces from coral-eating fish may act as 'probiotics' for reefs

Until recently, fish that eat coral—corallivores—were thought to weaken reef structures, while fish that consume algae and detritus—grazers—were thought to keep reefs healthy. But scientists have discovered that feces from grazers leave large lesions on coral, possibly because they contain coral pathogens. By contrast, feces from corallivores may provide a source of beneficial microbes that help coral thrive.

Phys.org