Algae Disrupt Coral Reefs' Recycling

Coral reefs--the world's most productive and diverse marine ecosystems--rely on a masterful recycling program to stay healthy. The corals and algae that form the base of the reef's food web release a variety of nutrients that support a complex and efficient food chain. But when this system gets out of whack, the cycle breaks down and endangers the coral reef's health. A new study led by researchers at San Diego State University and published today in the journal Nature Microbiology explores how a process known as "microbialization" destroys links in this delicate food chain.

Millions of people around the world depend on coral reefs to provide productive fisheries. Overfishing the waters near reefs, however, removes the primary algae-eaters from the environment, allowing populations of fleshy algae to explode. In areas with large human populations, pollution often exacerbates the problem by stimulating algae.

Fleshy algae on reefs release copious amounts of nutrients known as dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which microbes eat. Researchers have theorized that when you have lots of algae producing meals for microbes, you also wind up with higher levels of potentially harmful microbes throughout the reef's ecosystem.

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