A happy and healthy coral reef has a sound. The various “snaps, groans, grunts and scratches that form the symphony of a healthy ecosystem” are not just a symbol of a thriving reef. Underwater scientists have begun testing using these sounds in areas with degraded reefs and are finding the sounds attract coral larvae to settle. When they do, a new reef is formed.
As the problem of degrading coral reefs continues to spread, this is a story that could have wide ranging implications. With the right sound, perhaps more coral reefs could be regrown–which could create a positive domino effect for the rest of the ocean and marine life reliant on the reefs as well.
