When I think of “natural systems”, three things come to mind: Minimalistic, Laissez Faire and Economical. I believe in a natural order of things as determined by a Creator. For discussions sake, I choose to call the process “Intelligent Design”. As a senior subsea engineer, I designed deepwater Blowout Preventor control systems using Multiplexing technology from the phone company integrated with Navy acoustic control as a back up system. In the case of emergency operations, we had four seperate recovery systems, including a remote operated robot in 10,000’ of water. When operations are critical, like flying an airplane or sitting on top of a 15,ooo psi BOP, back up systems are not options. Back up systems are necessities for your existence. So it is in Nature with “Intelligent Design”. I will attemp with help from the Network, to illuminate how the “Coral Holobiont” is a community that is dynamic, complex and holistic in nature. Biochemistry is complex. Dana Riddle articles at Advanced Aquaria helped me to see how carbon dioxide gas dissolves in water to contribute to carbonate & bicarbonate alkalinity which combine during photosynthesis to produce glucose which is carbon for the reef. When that process happened, inorganic nutrients were assimilated in organic biomass of glucose. Carbon dioxide gas can go both ways in the process depending on partial pressure of the gas and concentration of carbon dioxide gas in water. The process is controlled by Dynamic Equilibrium following the “laws of nature” as installed by Intelligent Design. As a control systems engineer, simplicity is paramount in design criteria. The fewest things that can fail is the motto. Nature is much more complex. Randy Holmes Farley, in an article, described how cynobacteria could dissolve calcium phosphate in substrate using a biofeedback loop to complete the process. Imagine that, smart bacteria.
Within the coral holobiont there is communication between bacteria, algae and coral. My cryptic sponge friend, Timfish, feeds me knowledge, thus I now have become a sponge. Last week he visited and made me aware of laboratory controlled experiment demonstrating how coral selected a certain species of bacteria, I assume by size. Not only did coral select specific bacteria to harvest, the coral gave off growth enzymes that increased populations of only that one strain of bacteria. Did that coral just manipulate its environment? Sounds like a Master Gardner.
I am on this journey to learn. Please join in the process. In fact let’s have a fun time with it.
Laissez les bonne temps roulee,
Patrick
