Dynamics of Coral Communities

This is a study of the dynamical processes influencing the structure of coral communities, some of the most biologically diverse communities on earth. A variety of biological and physical processes operating across an enormous range of spatiotemporal scales are highlighted (eg niche partitioning, biological interactions, disturbance phenomena, large-scale tectonic, eustatic, climatic and oceanographic processes). The focus on the community provides a framework for presenting some examples from the literature using multiple taxonomic groups (eg corals, fishes, encrusting invertebrates). The theoretical background and relevant evidence are provided for several important processes: the influence of keystone species on community stability; ecological succession; interspecific competition; consumer-resource interactions; disturbance-mediated species coexistence; saturation; limited membership; and regional enrichment. The merits of integrating the local perspective, emphasizing niche theory and biological interactions, with a larger historical-geographical perspective are discussed for coral communities in a biogeographical context.