Better dead than alive: the coral reefs that are a wellspring of vitality

‘Cryptic animals are hidden creatures, which hide in the nooks and crannies’

IT IS well known that rising sea temperatures are causing colourful, delicate coral reefs to become dull “graveyards”.

However, a study from the University of Queensland, published in Methods of Ecology and Evolution, has found that dead coral reefs harbour more life than live ones.

Dr Kenny Wolfe, an author of the study, said that reef rubble habitat was often overlooked as desolate, unattractive and “dead”, but was very much alive.

“When people think of coral reefs they often think of larger invertebrates that are easily found, such as sea cucumbers, starfish and giant clams,” Dr Wolfe said.

“But interestingly, dead coral rubble supports more of what we call ‘cryptic’ animals than live coral. Cryptic animals are simply hidden creatures, that include tiny crabs, fishes, snails and worms – all of which hide in the nooks and crannies of the reef to avoid predation.”

As these creatures try to remain hidden, finding and surveying them requires particular care and attention.

Dr Wolfe teamed up with UQ Innovate to design 3D-printed coral stacks called RUBS (Rubble Biodiversity Samplers), to survey cryptic animals on coral reefs. The 3D-printed “coral” mimics the surrounding reef rubble, seamlessly inviting hidden reef organisms to be unknowingly monitored.

“We’re really pulling back the curtain on just how alive these ‘degraded’ reefs are,” Dr Wolfesaid.

“These are important habitats, which support coral reef biodiversity and important food webs.”