Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are some of the most spectacular ecosystems on the planet. They're also some of the most vulnerable. But how can we protect the reefs and the animals and plants who rely on them? And how can we make sure our protected areas aren't hurting those people who use reefs to survive? These are some of the big questions facing marine conservation biologists today. Let's take Fiji, for example. Fiji is series of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. To help balance the need for conservation and making a living, scientists had suggested that instead of one big park which provides a lot of coverage for one reef system while leaving the rest unprotected, a better way is to create a system of protected areas nested together like pearls on a string. This idea is called connectivity. In this way, scientists can protect lots of different habitats while not excluding people from their traditional fishing grounds. Now, the only way this string-of-pearls kind of reserve network is going to work is if each park is connected to other parks.