Regenerative functions and microbial ecology of coral reefs: Labelled bacteria in a coral reef microcosm

Representative coral reef organisms and substrata assembled in a laboratory microcosm removed radioactively labelled bacteria from water circulated over them. A similar experiment with a reef clam and its algal-encrusted base gave similar results. Biochemical fractionation of selected organisms in these experiments suggested digestion and possible assimilation of bacterial proteins. In view of previous results concerning the microbial ecology of coral reefs, it is suggested that reef infaunal metazoa are adapted to utilize internal sedimentary processes and regenerative functioning through suspension- (and deposit-)feeding mechanisms. A model ecosystem is presented to suggest the possible feedback of these mechanisms as they operate within a reef.