Biology of the hardcorals

Monocellular green alga (Zooxanthells) also live inside the polyps which themselves enter in a symbiosis with the stone-coral. The seaweed gets salt nutrients and CO₂ from the polyp, in the countermove the polyp receives oxygen and carbohydrates from the photosynthesis of the alga. The alga takes in CO₂ and so the coral-polyp is able to precipitate lime far better. And so this endosymbiosis is a very important foundation for reef growth. Coral growth is limited to layers of water where there is enough light (about 40 m depth) because of endosymbiosis.

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