\u201cThey\u2019re out foraging, they feed on fish [and] they bring those\u00a0nutrients back to the island,\u201d Wolf said. Such nutrients accumulate on land, improving soil quality, and are eventually washed back into the sea where they enrich surrounding marine ecosystems, she added. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Areas with large seabird populations are associated with more phytoplankton in the marine environment, higher fish biomass and better coral health, Wolf said. <\/p>\n
On Ulong, researchers found fish biomass increased significantly once rats were removed. One location recorded a 183% increase. Increased nutrients in the water also appear to be supporting reef-building coral. In a statement shared with Mongabay, Island Conservation said early results suggest \u201cseabird-derived nutrients [are] beginning to fuel reef productivity,\u201d around the island.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0powerful proof that terrestrial action spills over into benefits for surrounding reef communities, which people rely on for their livelihoods,\u201d Nathaniel Hanna Holloway, marine ecologist at Scripps Oceanography, said in a statement.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Wolf said the team had expected such improvements to Ulong\u00a0Island\u2019s ecosystem would take decades. Seeing measurable gains after just a year, she said, \u201cis pretty remarkable and gives us hope for the restoration of the Rock Islands across this island community.\u201d<\/p>\n The study is currently being submitted for publication.<\/p>\n Banner image: A rainbow over Ulong Island. Image courtesy of Island Conservation. <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781321347_669_07799caa7cb21fcc7a5a3924abeb83cbd823d2475a9b7f7441f9db8cd14f391f.png\")
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