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Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two were martyred in an initial toll of the Israeli drone strike that targeted the al-Asira neighborhood in the city of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli drone strike targeted the al-Asira neighborhood east of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are the greatest resistance. Know that 'Israel' will fall because it embodies aggression, crime, and occupation; victory is truly yours
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: The value of what you are doing despite your wounds is immense, and here you are, treading the path of the Master of Nation's Martyrs and the leaders
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are moving forward with insight deeper than sight itself. The enemy sought to eliminate your role in the battle, yet you remain steadfast and continue the fight
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors one year later: You are healing from your wounds and rising above them. You have successfully passed the test
Palestinian media: Reports of stabbing operation in occupied al-Quds.
Israeli media: Sirens blare in Arava in South, near Ramon Airport.
Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouli: Egypt is targeted in plans to redraw regional map
AEOI Chief Mohammad Eslami: Our presence in IAEA General Council and fact-checking helped in preventing unilateral rhetoric that aims to portray Iran as an unregulated country

Study: Coral-eating fish feces may act as ‘probiotics’ for reefs

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 14 Apr 2023 08:53
3 Min Read

Corallivorous fish were thought to be toxic to coral, but a new study reveals that their feces may be beneficial to reef health.

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  • Study: Coral-eating fish feces may act as ‘probiotics’ for reefs
    A variety of corals form an outcrop on Flynn Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef near Cairns, Queensland, Australia on July 24, 2010 (Wikipedia)

According to new research, the feces of coral-eating fish may function as "probiotics" for reefs.

Originally, it was considered that corallivore (fish that consume coral, such as pufferfish, parrotfish, and butterfly fish) degraded marine surfaces. According to a study, they are part of a cycle that redistributes beneficial microorganisms that can help coral survive by consuming some sections of the coral and then pooing in various regions of the reef.

Dr. Carsten Grupstra, of Rice University, the lead author of the study explained that fish are often thought to be dangerous because they bite the corals. But it turns out that this isn't the complete picture.

Grupstra elaborated that "Corallivore feces contain many of the bacterial taxa that associate with healthy corals under normal conditions, potentially resulting in the natural dispersal of ‘coral probiotics’, analogous to fecal microbiota transplantation therapy in humans.”

This means that when some fish feces interact with coral colonies on the reef, the bacteria in the waste can be transported to a new coral colony and be advantageous to that new coral colony.

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The study, which was published this week in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, looked at the various effects of grazer fish, which devour algae and debris. It was previously considered that they contributed to reef health, but the study discovered that grazer feces, which contain disease pathogens, may leave dead areas on corals known as lesions.

The scientists studied the impact of corallivore and grazer fish feces and discovered that grazers caused lesions or death in all coral pieces, but corallivore feces generated fewer and smaller lesions and seldom caused death. Furthermore, the corallivore feces helped disseminate beneficial microorganisms, which kept the reefs healthy.

The study sought to ascertain which types of bacteria were contributing to the observed effects on the coral, if the excrement included particular coral illnesses, and whether the results of the feces addition experiment could be transferred to other fish that ate coral, algae, and detritus.

Guptra stated that additional study in more natural circumstances was required, where factors like waves and other species may influence the results.

 “I think [at the moment] there hasn’t been a lot of research into fish species and how they affect corals, but this might be really important in coral reef ecology. We’ve seen some other labs publishing stuff about microbes in fish feces, so I really hope more people look into this because it’s interesting and could provide a new angle.”

Read more: Australia's Great Barrier Reef suffering 'widespread' bleaching

  • Great Barrier Reef
  • Coral bleaching
  • coral reefs
  • Restoring corals

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