Simulations of Long-Term Community Dynamics in Coral Reefs - How Perturbations Shape Trajectories
Figure 3
The life-cycle of a virtual coral which applies for massive and branching groups.
1) A mature coral colony produces gametes. 2) Hermaphroditic brooders directly release planula larvae, colonies of hermaphroditic broadcasters release bundles of eggs and sperm, and gonochoric broadcasting species release eggs or sperm, respectively. In the latter two modes fertilization takes place in the water column and planulae develop. 3) The larva is distributed and settles randomly on the simulation area. If it settles on another living organism (6) it will die and is removed. A larva that recruits on unoccupied space develops (4 and 5) into a new colony. 7) Overgrowth, disturbance or bleaching can lead to the death of a coral colony, which is then removed from the simulation.