A pile of concrete-filled tyres may not look like much from above, but beneath the surface it can become something very different. Off Yarmouth, Massachusetts, the unusual structures form part of an artificial reef that has been developing in Nantucket Sound since 1978. The project was designed to introduce physical complexity to a sandy seabed and provide habitat for fish and lobsters. Over time, the reef expanded to roughly 2,500 original units across 127 acres, while later additions brought in concrete and granite. Surveys in 2019 gave researchers another way to measure its effect, revealing a striking difference in how quickly fish reached structured reef habitat and bare sand.
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