For me, these days, few books capture the feelings I once felt often, on learning about and exploring the world of biology through other's words. This book brought back all sorts of those feelings in me.
The book is Reef life by Callum Roberts. The subtitle is, An underwater Memoir, and that's what it is. Dr. Roberts recounts some of his research life. He is, Professor of Marine Conservation at York University in the UK, and has spent his life exploring coral reefs.
Rather than a typical book review I’m going to recount the book quickly by using a few quotes from the book: In this way you will see this book is part memoir and part teaching tool. At least that what I think you’ll see: Ready? Let’s see if this works.’
“Tucked among the corals and joining one to the another are thin chalky crusts stacked like layers of puff pastry: coralline algae,… This humble seaweed is vital to reef growth, binding and consolidating loose material to build the structure upward.”1.
Dr. Roberts learns us lots about the coral reefs of the world (I know, wrongly English, but it’s so much fun). As he tells us, aragonite also helps bind things together on the reef. Argonite is a form a carbonate that corals use to make their skeleton. He spends some time allowing us to get to know the reefs, both the spectacular, big ass fish, and the easily unseen, and passed over.
“Whatever killed these coral was extraordinarily virulent. ... The malady that sickened the stag horn and elk horn corals destroyed 95 to 99 percent of them.” (see note 1).
Here he is referring to coral reefs die-offs in the 1980’s. The cause turned out to be human gut bacteria. We hear lots about disease transmission from other animals to humans (Covid-19 is one) but we know much less about transmission in the other way.
“The truth is that protected areas have saved the Sinai coast from complete ruin.” (see note 2).
He points out, in more than one place, that the savior of the reefs is more protected areas. In the marine systems they would be Marine Protected Areas (MPA). This process, setting aside protected areas, is the way to save terrestrial species as well. Indeed we need to do this in order to save ourselves. E.O. Wilson, of course, has said (and written a book with the title Half Earth) we need to set aside 1/2 the planet in this way if we are to save the ecosystems and ourselves.
I am in awe of Jack Randall, a ... ichthyologist from Hawaii who has described more new fish than anyone else alive.”
He describes the reef fishes all through the book, after all this is his main area of study. I love this because I find the diversity of fishes one of the most fascinating things about the reefs.
Here is another fishy quote:
“Several spotted coral groupers over a metre long ambled away slowly,... A hump-headed wrasse as big as my daughters approached for a look.”
Notice the British spelling of meter (or for you brits notice my U.S. of A, spelling). The book has awesome photos taken throughout the years; often of fish, go figure.
Early in the book Roberts tells us a little about meeting his wife and their first travels together. This is the most human aspect of this science story.
At the tail end of the book he recounts meetings, scientists and politicians trying to save the reefs, oceans, the planet, and us.
He relates what Stuart Beck tells us at a meeting:
“Scientists have known what to do for a long time, but the political will has not been there.”
What can we do? The single best thing is set aside, guard, and value protected areas. On land, in the sea. Areas with high biodiversity are best. But any area is better than none: If we save more areas, we save ourselves.
An enjoyable read overall.
Notes:
- This refers to coral die-offs in the 1980’s. The cause, which took years to determine, ended up being human gut bacteria.
- So setting aside areas for protection does work!
- Projects to protect areas of the ocean, and other areas, are championed by Dr Roberts: Global Ocean Legacy Project of the Pew Charitable trust, Blue Marine Foundation, and the Nekton Deep Ocean Research Institute
- Dr Roberts was a science advisor for Blue Planet II.
- In searching for info on the author, I found that there is a soccer player (sorry Footballer) by the same name. I have no idea if they are closely related.
The Book is:
Reef Life: An Underwater Memoir. Profile Books, 2019. ISBN 9781788162159