PANAMA CITY, Panama, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Every ecosystem is a balancing act, some more delicate than others. Small changes can yield large and unexpected consequences. New research suggests that for coral reefs in the Caribbean, much depends on tiny grazers -- like sea urchins and parrotfish.
Scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute have been measuring the grazing abilities of smaller species in the Carribbean, and their findings suggest an abudance of tiny creatures can consume algae at rates commensurate with larger herbivores.