Herbivorous Crabs Reverse the Seaweed Dilemma on Coral Reefs.

Coral reefs are on a steep trajectory of decline, with natural recovery in many areas unlikely. Eutrophication, overfishing, climate change, and disease have fueled the supremacy of seaweeds on reefs, particularly in the Caribbean, where many reefs have undergone an ecological phase shift so that seaweeds now dominate previously coral-rich reefs. Discovery of the powerful grazing capability of the Caribbean's largest herbivorous crab (Maguimithrax spinosissimus) led us to test the effectiveness of their grazing on seaweed removal and coral reef recovery in two experiments conducted sequentially at separate locations 15 km apart in the Florida Keys (USA).

Ocean acidification disrupts the orientation of postlarval Caribbean spiny lobsters.

Anthropogenic inputs into coastal ecosystems are causing more frequent environmental fluctuations and reducing seawater pH. One such ecosystem is Florida Bay, an important nursery for the Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus. Although adult crustaceans are often resilient to reduced seawater pH, earlier ontogenetic stages can be physiologically limited in their tolerance to ocean acidification on shorter time scales.