Coral WarsCoral WarsCompetitive Interactions Among CoralsCompetitive Interactions Among Corals

Competing CoralsCompeting Corals

dead zonedead zone

Mechanisms of Competitive Interactions

Mechanisms of Competitive Interactions

• direct tentacular competition• mesenterial filament extrusion• sweeper tentacles and polyps• mucus secretions• overgrowth (“bulldozing”)• overshading

• direct tentacular competition• mesenterial filament extrusion• sweeper tentacles and polyps• mucus secretions• overgrowth (“bulldozing”)• overshading

direct tentacular killingdirect tentacular killing

direct tentacular killingdirect tentacular killing

nematocystnematocyst

mesenterial

filament extrusion

mesenterial

filament extrusion

mesenterial filament from Fungia scutaria

mesenterial filament from Fungia scutaria

noxious mucus secretionsnoxious mucus secretions

overgrowth(“bulldozing”

)

overgrowth(“bulldozing”

)

overshadingovershading

overshadingovershading