Secret of noisy NZ reefs exposed: 19-08-2008
New research has uncovered the secret behind New Zealand's noisy reefs in the north of the country.
Scientists confirmed that tiny sea creatures that scrape the floor of the reef are responsible for noisy sounds that emerge from the deep twice a day.
Hungry fish feed on the algae and invertebrates on the reef and it is this that makes the noise, according to reports from National Geographic.
Marine biologists from Auckland University studied the noise surrounding the reefs and used speakers to record sound intensity.
They found that two periods of noise occurred, with one being heard just before dusk and the other before sunrise.
Craig Radford, a marine biologist from the university, said that they tested the theory by recording the noises made by sea urchins in a tank.
When feeding, the noise of the sea urchins matched that of the sound coming from the water.
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