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Specific examples of these benefits can be seen with marine microbes in coral reef systems. According to Blue Frontier: Saving America's Living Seas, such microbes hold great promise for pharmaceuticals and agricultural products, including anti-inflammation chemicals from sea feathers, virus killing proteins from sea grass molds, and cancer cell killing compounds from soft corals (Helvarg 2001). Coral reefs are also natural barriers against storms and floods. When the corals are harmed, these defenses weaken, key species are displaced, and the overall health of the marine ecosystem suffers (IUCN 2007). Marine reserves can prevent such events by protecting the overall balance of the ecosystem. For instance, marine reserves can protect large herbivorous grazers, such as parrotfish, from overfishingbeing overfished. Then, the resulting grazing pressure on seaweeds can prevent them from outcompeting the young corals that are needed to rebuild the reefs (Biology News Net 2007). Such examples demonstrate the effectiveness of marine reserves at protecting many aspects of the ocean ecosystem.
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