據(jù)Danielle Dixson 和 Mark Hay披露,，海藻的過度生長是珊瑚礁的一個(gè)主要問題，而珊瑚礁所受到的所有主要的壓力——從過度捕撈至氣候變化——都會(huì)促使這一問題更加嚴(yán)重,。海藻似乎是當(dāng)其非常接近珊瑚時(shí)才會(huì)造成這種損害的,，因此Dixson 和 Hay推測(cè)，生活在珊瑚礁中的食草魚類可能會(huì)通過吃那些生長在珊瑚礁上的海藻來保護(hù)珊瑚的,。
他們?cè)谘芯快碀?jì)珊瑚礁時(shí)分析了鹿角珊瑚的群落——這種珊瑚在很大程度上導(dǎo)致了該珊瑚礁結(jié)構(gòu)的復(fù)雜性——以及它們與居住在珊瑚礁中的,，包括蝦虎魚在內(nèi)的多種魚類的相互作用。
在與海藻甚或只是與海藻的化學(xué)提取物接觸的幾分鐘內(nèi),，這些珊瑚蟲便會(huì)釋放一種氣味,，這種氣味會(huì)招募蝦虎魚來除掉這些海藻并大大減少否則會(huì)給珊瑚帶來的傷害。反過來,，這些蝦虎魚在吃了這些海藻之后也令捕食動(dòng)物對(duì)其感到更不合口味,。
文章的作者提出，這種互惠關(guān)系可能是對(duì)應(yīng)螞蟻與金合歡樹之間關(guān)系的海洋中的例子,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi: 10.1126/science.1225748
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Corals Chemically Cue Mutualistic Fishes to Remove Competing Seaweeds
Danielle L. Dixson, Mark E. Hay
Corals in the genus Acropora generate much of the structural complexity upon which coral reefs depend, but they are susceptible to damage from toxic seaweeds. Acropora nasuta minimizes this damage by chemically cuing symbiotic goby fishes (Gobiodon histrio or Paragobiodon echinocephalus) to remove the toxic seaweed Chlorodesmis fastigiata. Within minutes of seaweed contact, or contact from only seaweed chemical extract, the coral releases an odor that recruits gobies to trim the seaweed and dramatically reduce coral damage that would otherwise occur. In turn, chemically defended gobies become more toxic after consumption of this noxious alga. Mutualistic gobies and corals appear to represent a marine parallel to terrestrial ant-plants, in that the host provides shelter and food in return for protection from natural enemies.
