Protecting the beauty of the world’s reef fish communities
An international research team led by the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) and with the participation of the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) in Bremen has taken a close look at reefs worldwide to find out where the fish communities are that appear most beautiful to the human eye, and what explains these patterns – an important topic given that fish beauty is a nonmaterial contribution of reefs to human wellbeing which directly impacts people’s willingness to conserve these vulnerable ecosystems. The results of the study have just been published in the renowned scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
The beauty of nature influences our emotional connection with ecosystems and our willingness to protect them. This is especially true for reefs, which are among the most colourful and vibrant habitats in the world. Their beauty attracts millions of people every year and brings great economic benefits, especially in tropical countries of the Global South.
With these unique ecosystems rapidly sliding down a degradation spiral, protecting them continues to be crucial. The study results highlight that by protecting reefs we are not only supporting fisheries and tourism, but also human well-being.
Lead authors Matthew McLean (UNCW) and Nicolas Mouquet (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - CNRS) as well as co-author Sonia Bejarano (ZMT) analysed the perceived beauty of more than 3,500 groups of reef fish worldwide. The team combined data from a global reef monitoring programme with assessments of fish species’ aesthetic appeal, gathered through public surveys.
They found that the perceived beauty of reef fish assemblages peaks in highly diverse tropical marine protected areas and can be boosted by conserving reefs in a coral-dominated state. According to the study such beauty is not only strongly linked to the number of species but also to the presence of especially colourful or uniquely shaped fish.
“Reefs play a vital ecological role, connect people to nature and support local tourism, so protecting their beauty should be a key goal of conservation,” says Matthew McLean.
“Marine protected areas help to preserve this connection while promoting sustainable tourism, which is essential for the local economy in many countries of the Global South,” adds Sonia Bejarano from ZMT.
Currently, less than 7% of reefs are effectively protected. The study findings call for greater conservation efforts to preserve the material and non-material contributions of reefs to human lives and wellbeing.
Publication:
M. McLean, D. Mouillot, J. Langlois, S. Arif, S. Bejarano, N. Casajus, G.J. Edgar, U. Flandrin, F. Guilhaumon, A.B. Judah, N. Loiseau, M.A. MacNeil, E. Maire, R.D. Stuart-Smith, & N. Mouquet (2025) Conserving the beauty of the world’s reef fish assemblages, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 122 (25) e2415931122, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2415931122
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