Let's call this the underwater version of getting a goat to keep your grass trimmed. Scientists at a Hawaii research center are breeding native sea urchins to do battle with an invasive seaweed that's covering coral reefs.
Coral reefs are important because fish rely on them for habitat, explains Scientific American. The situation is kind of like the monster storm that recently buried the U.S. --- two invasive algae called Kappaphycus alvarezii and K. striatum are blanketing the coral seaweed and smothering it.
The invasive seaweed has been causing trouble in the Aloha State for years. Like another invasive species working its way toward the North American Great Lakes (Asian carp), this seaweed was originally brought in to help. So much for that.
A sample of the offending seaweed, Kappaphycus alvarezii, also known as "smothering seaweed." Credit: Agriculturasp
About 1,000 of the tiny, collector sea urchins were recently released in Kaneohe Bay, the only barrier reef system in the U.S.
It's the first time urchins have been bred to do battle with invasive seaweed in Hawaii, the Star Advertiser reports. The goal is to restore the bay's coral, using up to 25,000 new urchins per month from the breeding site, the Anuenue Fisheries Research Center.
These little buggers are working so far against the algae, which can grow up to 2 meters tall. Who says size matters?
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