Climate change is affecting the oceans in surprising ways. Consider the latest research findings on an unexpected impact of coral reef bleaching: Damselfish that are literally being bullied to death.
Scientists at Australia's James Cook University found that younger, smaller damselfish on portions of the Great Barrier Reef affected by bleaching are being bullied and chased out of sheltered nooks by larger adult fish. The displaced youngsters are pushed into more exposed areas of the reef, where they fall victim to hungry predators.
Lead researcher Mark McCormick also found that the damselfish don't settle in more desirable habitats nearby, even when there is room for them to relocate.
He told Discovery News that the patterns that turned up in his research will have long-term impacts on everything from the abundance of damselfish predators that people like to catch and eat, to the survival traits passed along to future generations of damselfish.
The only way to reduce the impacts on fish from coral bleaching (apart from tackling climate change in a big way) is to make reefs more resilient by addressing other pressures -- from pollution and overfishing, McCormick said.
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