Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026
07:23
Inducing Polyp Bail-out in Coral Colonies to Obtain Individualized Micropropagates for Laboratory Experimental Use
Published on: April 28, 2022
Coral-bryozoan mutualism: structural innovation and greater resource exploitaton
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|April 27, 1990
Summary
Coral and bryozoan species formed a mutualistic relationship in the Early Devonian. This intergrowth allowed them to overcome substrate limitations and access new ecological niches as suspension feeders.
Area of Science:
- Paleontology
- Marine Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- The Early Devonian period saw sessile marine organisms competing for limited substrate space.
- Shell-encrusting organisms like the coral Aulopora and the bryozoan Leioclema faced constraints due to substrate size.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the ecological and evolutionary implications of interspecific interactions between Aulopora and Leioclema.
- To understand how mutualistic intergrowth influenced the ecological guilds and spatial distribution of these benthic organisms.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of fossilized colonies exhibiting intergrowth between Aulopora and Leioclema.
- Paleoecological reconstruction to determine the benefits of the observed mutualism.
Main Results:
- Aulopora and Leioclema formed upright, arborescent structures through mutualistic intergrowth.
- This association allowed colonies to escape substrate limitations and occupy higher suspension-feeding tiers.
- The intergrowth resulted in increased modularity per colony for both species.
Conclusions:
- Mutualistic intergrowth between benthic modular competitors, like Aulopora and Leioclema, facilitated adaptation and ecological expansion.
- This type of symbiosis may have been more readily established between modular organisms than solitary ones.
Related Concept Videos
00:58Symbiosis
Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
01:25Microbial Interactions: Mutualism
Mutualism is a symbiotic interaction in which all participating organisms benefit. These relationships can be obligate or facultative and are fundamental to ecosystem functions across diverse biological systems.Plant–Fungi MutualismOne well-known example is the association between plant roots and mycorrhizal fungi, such as Rhizophagus species. The fungal hyphae penetrate the root hairs and the epidermis, forming an extensive hyphal network that establishes a symbiotic association. Through this...
01:27Diversity of Protists III
Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...
01:26Microbial Interactions: Cooperation
Microbial cooperation involves beneficial interactions in which different species work together for individual or mutual advantage. These interactions can profoundly influence ecological dynamics and evolutionary processes, and they are essential to many pathogenic and symbiotic relationships.Nematode–Bacteria CooperationA striking example is the relationship between the Gram-negative bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila and the parasitic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. Juvenile nematodes...
01:27Diversity of Protists II
Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
01:28Microbial Interactions: Predation
Microbial predation refers to the process by which one microorganism kills and consumes another to obtain nutrients and energy. It encompasses both bacterial and protozoan predators. This interaction plays a crucial role in shaping microbial communities and regulating nutrient cycling.Bacterial Predators: Epibiotic vs. EndobioticBacterial predators are classified based on their mode of attack as either epibiotic or endobiotic. Epibiotic predators, such as Vampirococcus, attach to the surface of...