How coral sounds can heal dying reefs
651This is the sound a coral reef makes. Scientists believe playing sounds of a healthy coral reef to a dying one could save damaged corals
The world has lost half its coral reefs since the 1950s due to global heating, overfishing and pollution and 14% of the Earth’s coral was lost in less than a decade between 2009 and 2018. Using underwater speakers, scientists have broadcasted the sounds of a thriving reef to degraded coral in the Caribbean.
Coral reefs are formed when coral produces and releases sperm and eggs into the sea.These then join to form coral larvae, which swims through the ocean, looking for hard, rock-like structures on which to settle and form coral colonies. The larvae were up to seven times more likely to settle at a struggling reef where they played soundscapes of a healthy ecosystem.
While the results are promising, the scientists say there is more work needed to understand whether all coral species respond to reef sounds in the same way, and whether the corals thrive after settling.
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