LUSAKA: New research shows the devastating effects sponges can have on reef-building corals.These sponge bullies smother and kill nearby coral colonies and take up residence on the skeletons of their victims, PeerJ reported. Humans are also playing a role in the mass coral massacre; overfishing is removing predators of sea sponges, accelerating their rate of destruction among coral communities.
To make their findings, a team of researchers surveyed reefs from 12 Caribbean countries and compared 44 sites with abundant fish populations to 25 sites where these predators which much more scarce. They found over 25 percent of coral colonies at the overfished sites were in contact with sponges, which is more than double the contact seen in the protected sites. On the less-fished reefs, fast-growing sponge species were usually consumed by angelfish and parrotfish, protecting the majority of local coral.
Karachi Port sets 138-year cargo handling record
KARACHI: Pakistan's maritime sector has achieved a major milestone as Karachi Port set a new record in its 138-year history...
