7000-year-old fossilized reefs reveal how human fishing reshaped Caribbean food webs
Tuesday, July 1, 2025 - 15:47
in Biology & Nature
A study of 7000-year-old exposed coral reef fossils reveals how human fishing has transformed Caribbean reef food webs: as sharks declined by 75% and fish preferred by humans became smaller, prey fish species flourished—doubling in numbers and growing larger. This unprecedented look into prehistoric reef communities shows how the loss of top predators cascaded through the entire food web, shifting the balance among coral reefs.