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Imagine the scent of perfectly baked cookies: chewy, warm, smelling like heaven. Now, imagine what burned cookies smell like: charred, unappetizing, you can almost taste the wrongness.
According to a new study, fish and coral have that very same ability.
The research, published in Science by the Georgia Institute of Technology, tested coral larvae in a manner that was previously used to test fish and found that young coral strongly prefer odors from healthy reefs.
Scientists state that damaged coral reefs give off chemical odors that repulse young coral and fish, making their choice on where to settle quite easy.
What does this mean?
Marine protected areas might not be enough to help overfished reefs recover. Even if humans designate an area as “protected”, the damaged reefs will still give off chemical cues long after overfishing has stopped.
Since coral reefs are declining around the world, steps need to be taken before the situation becomes too dire for young coral and fish.
Mark Hay, a professor in the School of biology at Georgia Tech and the study’s senior author, says, “A minimum amount of intervention at the right time could jump start the recovery of overfished reefs.”
We couldn’t agree more. The oceans are subject to the definition of the “butterfly effect” – when one small action can create waves of impact (pun intended).
“[The intervention] could bring fish back to the area so they settle and eat the seaweed around the reefs,” Hay said. “The corals would get bigger because the seaweed is not overgrown and bigger corals would then be more attractive to fish.”
Most people know that coral reefs have experienced a severe decline since humans began to monopolize the seas, but unfortunately, not enough people are taking action. This research only confirms that people need to do their part to ensure healthy coral reefs stay healthy coral reefs.
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140821141334.htm