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Hennige SJ, Larsson AI, Orejas C, Gori A, De Clippele LH, Lee YC, Jimeno G, Georgoulas K, Kamenos NA, Roberts JM. Using the Goldilocks Principle to model coral ecosystem engineering. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211260. [PMID: 34375552 PMCID: PMC8354746 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The occurrence and proliferation of reef-forming corals is of vast importance in terms of the biodiversity they support and the ecosystem services they provide. The complex three-dimensional structures engineered by corals are comprised of both live and dead coral, and the function, growth and stability of these systems will depend on the ratio of both. To model how the ratio of live : dead coral may change, the ‘Goldilocks Principle’ can be used, where organisms will only flourish if conditions are ‘just right’. With data from particle imaging velocimetry and numerical smooth particle hydrodynamic modelling with two simple rules, we demonstrate how this principle can be applied to a model reef system, and how corals are effectively optimizing their own local flow requirements through habitat engineering. Building on advances here, these approaches can be used in conjunction with numerical modelling to investigate the growth and mortality of biodiversity supporting framework in present-day and future coral reef structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- S J Hennige
- Changing Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - A I Larsson
- Department of Marine Sciences, Tjärnö Marine Laboratory, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - C Orejas
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón, IEO, CSIC, Gijón, Spain
| | - A Gori
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - L H De Clippele
- Changing Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Y C Lee
- School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, University of Plymouth, Devon, UK
| | - G Jimeno
- School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - K Georgoulas
- Changing Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - N A Kamenos
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - J M Roberts
- Changing Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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