Coral Reef Fish Are More Resilient Than We Thought, Study Finds
"At a time when the Great Barrier Reef and other coral reefs are facing
unprecedented destruction, researchers in Australia have found a small ray of hope for the fish that make the reefs their home."
"Fish are more resilient to the effects of ocean acidification than scientists had previously thought, according to research published Thursday in Scientific Reports."
"Increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, caused by burning fossil fuels, is being absorbed by oceans and causing them to become more acidic. That dissolved carbon dioxide can cause erratic, risky behavior in fish that could impact their survival."
"For example, previous research demonstrates that exposing fish to high levels of carbon dioxide dulls their responses to predators, making them more likely to become a meal. Exposure can also make fish favor just one of their sides while moving, or make them more active and bold."