I am trying to find the 'model' of coral reef ecosystem functioning. I have seen in the literature different models according to the various research questions. Nonetheless, I want to find an ecological functioning model where all the functional groups and its interactions are clearly explained.
If you could give some hint, I would highly appreciate it,
Ameris
There are a lot of doors to enter in the system.
Considering ecosystem theory and ecoenergetics approaches...
I suggest to consider that the engineering species of corals (strctures are very interessant to consider), taking opportunities from natural forcing energies (Smil, Jorgensen etc...) to catch minerals, currents and heat from the sea and sun, allows to build structures that are not belonging to "food (mass en energy) chains" directly.
The structures can create a particular environnement colonized by pioneering or secondary species and a very important microbic community, with a lot of connections through food chains/web and contributions to the structure and a particular metabolism (material non-living elements and biomass), patterns and evolution rules: a very complex system, unstable (pseudo cycles of disturbances and stress) and a biomass (productivity) driven by the reefs-lagoon "artificially" created by the community. Like biological diversity, biomass distribution follows fractal patterns of distribution.
Diversity of species and functions is a "fractal dimension" of this biomass/productivity. Panarchic evolution of systems (Buzz Holling) explains patchy distributions driven by the hydroclimate and enironmental stoechiometry, through reef sedimental process. Ecoenergetic of the system has to consider extra somatic part of the metabolims of living organisms... etc... like human societies, coral reefs create emergent structures through a hudge transformation and stabilization of the initial environmental conditions... etc... See Margalef, Jorgensen, Frontier.
Sorry, it is a chat and I hope that this improvised contribution will bring some inspiration? It took to me the time for writing and I can't more. It is an experience.
I will be pleased to read following contributors.
Regards
The attached PDF should have valuable references pertaining to numerous aspects of the model you might like to build.
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