Damaged coral reefs were found to regenerate when the sounds of healthy coral reefs were played through underwater speakers.



Coral reefs , which often grow on beaches facing the tropical open ocean, are in serious danger of being lost due to global warming, overfishing, water pollution, and other factors. A research team led by Nadège Aoki of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, USA, reported that when they played sounds recorded from healthy coral reefs to damaged coral reefs, coral growth improved. did.

Soundscape enrichment increases larval settlement rates for the brooding coral Porites astreoides | Royal Society Open Science
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231514

Playing thriving reef sounds on underwater speakers 'could save damaged corals' | Coral | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/13/playing-thriving-reef-sounds-underwater-speakers-save-damaged-corals



The research team conducted an experiment in the U.S. Virgin Islands, building on previous

research in which coral larvae, when released into the water, swim toward the sounds made by other corals, where they settle and grow. did.

In the experiment, underwater speakers were placed near three coral reefs off the coast of Saint John, Virgin Islands, for three days. One of the speakers played sounds from a healthy coral reef of the same species, while the remaining two speakers played sounds from a damaged reef or a healthy reef of another species.

At three spots, the researchers measured the number of coral larvae in containers up to 30 meters away from the speakers. As a result, it was confirmed that on average 1.7 times more coral larvae settled in areas where the sounds of healthy coral reefs of the same species were played than in other areas. It was also found that the larval settlement rate decreased depending on the distance from the speaker, suggesting that the sound from the speaker was a factor.



'Simply submerging a speaker underwater for a certain period of time not only stimulates the growth of coral larvae, but also increases the number of fish that gather there,' Aoki said. I hope that it can be combined with the following.'

On the other hand, Aoki said, ``We do not want to use this technology to encourage growth in places where corals are on the verge of extinction due to water pollution.This initiative is aimed at ensuring the survival of these corals.'' 'It must be a step-by-step, multi-faceted approach to ensure growth over time, and we need to be very cautious about the application of this technology.'



Steve Simpson, a marine biologist at the University of Bristol, said: 'This is a very exciting study that demonstrates how audio playback can promote coral colonization in coral habitat. 'Coral reefs are often the first victims of climate change, and if we can save coral reefs, we can accomplish anything.'

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