Increased growth responsible for color changes in coral reefs

[revhtree Verified Admin]

New insight has been provided into the basic immune response and repair mechanisms of corals to disease and changing environmental conditions. The study found that increased growth is the underlying physiological process associated with disease, wounding and stress-related color changes in reef-building corals.

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[Pkunk35]

New insight has been provided into the basic immune response and repair mechanisms of corals to disease and changing environmental conditions. The study found that increased growth is the underlying physiological process associated with disease, wounding and stress-related color changes in reef-building corals.

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So are they basically saying that fragmentation or damage/stress to corals initiate a growth response, right? so...the color changes are really just a increase/decrease in the numbers of zooxanthellae which are affected by growth response?

I think I've read before that fragging causes coral to grow faster rather than leaving the piece alone. This article seems to back that hypothesis up.