Power of attraction may help protect Great Barrier Reef
In a breakthrough, scientists have come up with a new way that could help protect the icon of the Great Barrier Reef using the powers of attraction to decimate one of the fiercest enemies of the reef. |
| Power of attraction may help protect Great Barrier Reef |
Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia have revealed that thorns of the crown of thorns are gathering in large numbers due to a release of pheromones - a fragrance they have decoded so that powerful pests can be Attracted to their capture.
"For a Great Barrier Reef already in trouble, and even reefs in the Indo-Pacific region, these starfish represent a huge threat because of the ability of one woman to produce up to 120 million A single spawning season, "said Professor Bernard Degnan, who led the study.
"They revel on the coral and leave it whitening white and vulnerable to destruction in heavy storms," Degnan said.
Millions of dollars have been spent for many years on various ways to capture starfish from the crown of thorns, whether through diver collection, injections or robotics.
"Now we've found the genes that starfish use to communicate, we can start making environmentally friendly baits that make them come together in one place, which makes it easier to eliminate breeding animals" , Said Degnan.
The research was published in the journal Nature.