Slide Show: Larger Sea Life Depends on Healthy Reefs
It isn't just coral that is lost when a reef is damaged
By David Biello
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.
The web of life that depends on the health of coral reefs extends from microscopic algae and polyps to relative giants of the sea like the green turtle. In fact, a reef supports an abundance of sea life and the most unusual thing about the one at Palmyra Atoll is the relative abundance of predators. "It's an inverted pyramid with more predators in terms of biomass," notes William Chandler, vice president for government affairs at the Marine Conservation Biology Institute. Adds marine conservation scientist Dan Brumbaugh of the American Museum of Natural History's Center for Biodiversity and Conservation: "People are surprised that there's enough prey to support all these big sharks and big [predatory fish] that are swimming around. We're still trying to figure that out."
Slide Show: Fish, Birds and Other Larger Fauna
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.
