Paxton, A., Steward, D. (2024, January 18). Not All Underwater Reefs Are Made of Coral − The US Has Created Artificial Reefs From Sunken Ships, Radio Towers, Boxcars and Even Voting Machines. The Conversation. Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://theconversation.com/how-clouds-protect-coral-reefs-but-will-not-be-enough-to-save-them-from-us-211088
Artificial reefs off the U.S. coast are being used to enhance marine habitat and recreational opportunities. Researchers led a study that estimated that artificial reefs cover about 7 square miles of the ocean floor. Some of these reefs are created with parts from old, used ships and concrete pipes. While artificial reefs benefit fisheries and provide recreational spots, they also hold risks for sea life, such as invasive species colonization and potential habitat shifts. It is important to continue to monitor and understand the impact of artificial reefs, as they are crucial for both marine life and human uses, and as ocean life is changing more and more with climate change.
This article is related to environmental science because these artificial reefs are a part of a way to help with preservation of ocean life and biodiversity. A large part of life underwater depends on these reefs, and if they don’t, they depend on another organism that depends on the reef. Losing them would cause a detrimental impact on the health of the ocean. If we continue to create these artificial reefs, while finding ways to minimize the negative effects, we will be able to save the biodiversity of the ocean. I think that this is a good start to preserving the biodiversity in the ocean, and I think that it is great that there are many positive outcomes, but we need to be cautious when introducing these to new ecosystems and environments because it could cause a lot of damage.
I found this article along with your points very interesting. However, what I am wondering is if there used to be reefs in the same locations as the artificial ones that got destroyed? If there were never reefs there, in my opinion with the knowledge I have, we should only promote the usage of these artificial reefs in places that naturally have reefs that were destroyed. If this is the case, this method seems like a great one for increasing biodiversity and giving many species more places to live and hunt in. It also is very sustainable and makes us not need to waste space with ship graveyards. Do you think we should still use this method in areas that did not previously have reefs?
Thank you for reading my abstract! I agree with you, I think that it is super important to not disrupt any natural ecosystems when it comes to building these artificial reefs. I think we should stick to using them only in areas that we are rebuilding reefs and that previously had reefs.