– Phototrophic foraminifera progressively disappear towards turbid
conditions, as reflected in the FORAM index (Uthicke et al.,
2010).
– Macroalgae strongly and consistently increase in abundance
with increasing turbidity (De’ath and Fabricius, 2010).
– Coral communities change from dominance of Acropora and
other predominantly phototrophic taxa, to taxa with increasing
trophic plasticity, as exemplified by Turbinaria. This genus,
although containing zooxanthellae, is a member of the otherwise
heterotrophic (azooxanthellate) family Dendrophylliidae,
suggesting a high trophic plasticity.
– Externally visible macro-bioeroders in the surface of living massive
Porites corals and many sponges are heterotrophic filter
feeders that increase in abundance with increasing loads of suspended
food (reviewed in LeGrand and Fabricius, 2011).