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As they grow, corals are bathed in a sea of marine microbes, such as bacteria, algae, and viruses. While these extremely abundant and tiny microorganisms influence coral communities in a variety of ways, a new study reveals that corals also have an impact on the microbes in waters surrounding them. In novel lab observations of interactions between corals and planktonic bacteria, known as picoplankton, researchers found that corals are selectively feeding on specific types of bacteria-the same bacteria whose growth is promoted by organic matter and nutrients that are released by the corals. [Source: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute]
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