[Coral-List] top-down, bottom-up arguments

[Gene Shinn]

As a person who began diving in the Florida Keys in 1950, I have 
appreciated the series of nutrient/Diadema discussions set in motion 
by Martin Moe.  Hopefully all this fuss  will stimulate someone to do 
large scale  experiments, especially ones that examine the effects of 
various nutrient levels on corals in controlled conditions. Will no 
agency will fund such a study?  Incidentally, a similar top-down 
versus bottom-up battle  over the health of Kelp beds is raging in 
California (see letters in Science vol. 313, 22 September 2006, pages 
1737-1739).  It will be interesting to see what comes from all this 
debate once the dust has has settled. Gene
-- 


No Rocks, No Water, No Ecosystem (EAS)
------------------------------------ -----------------------------------
E. A. Shinn, Courtesy Professor
University of South Florida
Marine Science Center (room 204)
140 Seventh Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
<eshinn at marine.usf.edu>
Tel 727 553-1158---------------------------------- 
-----------------------------------