Acoustic enrichment can be a key intervention to support imperiled reefs. Using an underwater speaker system, researchers found that broadcasting the soundscape of a healthy reef at a degraded reef caused coral larvae to settle at significantly higher rates.

A reef that has been degraded – whether by coral bleaching, disease, or direct human impacts – can’t support the same diversity of species and has a much quieter, less rich soundscape. New WHOI research shows sound could be a vital tool in the effort to restore coral reefs.