How Seaweed Has Been Misleading Scientists About Reef Health

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For decades, scientists have looked to seaweed as an indicator of the health of coral reefs lying underneath.

For decades, scientists have looked to seaweed as an indicator of the health of coral reefs lying underneath.

But what if the seaweed was misleading them?

New UBC research reveals it was, and scientists need new ways to determine whether human activity is harming a particular reef.

“This is especially critical today, given that reefs globally are threatened by climate-driven stressors,” said Dr. Sara Cannon, a postdoctoral fellow at the UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and the study’s lead author.

Read more at University of British Columbia

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