Watched Over By Angels

An underwater photograph of a school of grey angelfish swimming over a coral reef. The fish, characterized by their flat, circular bodies and small spotted patterns, are clustered in the center of the frame against a clear blue water background. Below them, a large, fan-like sea ginger coral and several smaller yellow fish are visible on a sandy seabed covered in sparse seagrass. The water's surface ripples at the top of the image, reflecting sunlight back into the scene.

Label: Watched Over By Angels
Artist: Bobbie Renfro
Description: My work broadly focuses on the effects of human activities on coral reef ecosystems. More specifically I am interested in how nutrient enrichment from mismanaged waste water and fertilizers affects the sponges that inhabit the coral reef. These grey angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus) perused the reef around me as I assessed sponge populations in Belize. I make note of their numbers as these peaceful wanderers will graze on the sponges that I am tracking.
Type: DSLR
Artist Affiliation: Graduate Student
Department: Biology
Area of Research: Coral Reef Ecology
Date: 2019