Do Tiny Fish Keep Coral Reefs Alive?
26,230 views |
Chris Goatley |
TEDxParramatta
• September 2019
How do reefs support such a wealth of life when they grow in what are essentially ‘marine deserts’? It seems that a group of tiny fish may hold the answer. These tiny fish, referred to by scientists as cryptobenthic reef fishes, or simply “cryptos,” are highly abundant on coral reefs but only live for a few months before they are eaten by predators. So how come their populations don’t collapse? Chris Goatley will explore some of the reasons and show that these little fish punch well above their weight when it comes to keeping reefs alive.