Hawaii coral study finds reef sounds help larvae settle on coated structures

Coral larvae settled most near the speaker, with bacteria-coated structures showing stronger results than artificial surfaces alone. A reef may be built from concrete and carefully engineered structures, but for young marine life, it appears that the right soundtrack could matter too. In Hawaiʻi, scientists have been experimenting with an unusual approach to reef restoration, playing the sounds of a healthy coral reef underwater and combining them with artificial structures designed to provide the biological cues young corals need to settle. The results offer an intriguing new direction for rebuilding damaged reefs, although researchers stress that attracting larvae is only an early step toward creating a functioning ecosystem.Turning up the reef soundsAccording to Nature, the experiment took place in Kāneʻohe Bay, off Oʻahu, where researchers placed 37 artificial structures on a sandy seafloor at depths of about 4.5 metres. An underwater speaker played recordings captured from a healthy reef from sunset through sunrise for two weeks.The recordings contained the familiar crackles and pops produced by reef organisms, including fish and snapping shrimp. Healthy reefs tend to be noisi...