Monday, April 19, 2010

Understanding the Ecology of Artificial Reefs

A scientist in Florida discusses the complex issues surrounding artificial reefs including how fish populations are altered by their presence.
When we build a reef, we’re altering the availability
of the structure fish need in proximity to their foraging
grounds. So yes, they’re drawn to it, and there are rea-
sonable studies to suggest that in general, artificial reefs
hold initially higher densities of fish than natural reefs.
However, there is not necessarily the same biodiversity
or the same community composition because the reef
structures, by design, are different.
Read the entire article (in PDF form)
http://www.flseagrant.org/images/PDFs/sgeb_65_web%20optimized.pdf

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