Reefer Sanity
By JR Minkel
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Faced with declines in coral reefs from pollution, overuse and climate change, reef managers have begun implementing “marine protected areas”—no-fishing zones. One of the first studies of the ecological effect of such zones shows how they might help. A group led by researchers at the University of Exeter in England studied a sea park in the Bahamas that has not been fished since 1986. An open question was whether the resurgence of predatory grouper fish would kill off helpful parrotfish, which foster reef growth by grazing seaweed. The team found that net grazing actually doubled, coinciding with a fourfold reduction in seaweed proliferation in the protected area compared with fishable areas. The reason: larger parrotfish became more plentiful after fishing ceased. The grouper have trouble feeding on the bigger fish, which in turn graze seaweed more extensively than smaller ones. Dive into the January 6 Science for more.
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
