The coral and the zooxanthellae algae maintain a mutualistic relationship. The coral provides the al
The coral and the zooxanthellae algae maintain a mutualistic relationship. The coral provides the algae a protected environment, safe from the saturation of light and predation and allows the zooxanthellae to utilize the coral’s metabolic waste products to fulfill their dietary needs. In fact as much as 90% of the organic material photo-synthetically produced by the zooxanthellae is transferred directly to the host coral tissue. (Photograph: Wayne MacWilliams) -- source link
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