Urchins Taking Over Habitat In Australia
By Matt J. Weiss, May 26, 2009 @ 01:45 PM (EST)
Source: Nationalgeographic.com
The long spined sea urchin has invaded waters south of its normal range, and is now busily stripping underwater reefs of seaweed and algae.
According to scientists from Australias University of Tasmania, the sea urchin is destroying the habitats of many fish around Tasmania, including lobsters and abalone.
But while the urchins hunger after their homes, rock lobsters have developed a taste for the urchins themselves.
Ecologists are dropping large rock lobsters into the ocean to feast on the urchin.
About 750 lobsters were released in urchin-infested waters at St. Helen's off Tasmania's north east coast a year ago.
This initial project was a success.
SOUNDBITE (English) Scott Ling, University of Tasmania: "And we've surveyed that area several times and we're finding those large lobsters released - about half of those, there's evidence that they've been eating the sea urchin, so that's a good sign at this stage."
Now more are being released into waters under threat.
According to scientists from Australias University of Tasmania, the sea urchin is destroying the habitats of many fish around Tasmania, including lobsters and abalone.
But while the urchins hunger after their homes, rock lobsters have developed a taste for the urchins themselves.
Ecologists are dropping large rock lobsters into the ocean to feast on the urchin.
About 750 lobsters were released in urchin-infested waters at St. Helen's off Tasmania's north east coast a year ago.
This initial project was a success.
SOUNDBITE (English) Scott Ling, University of Tasmania: "And we've surveyed that area several times and we're finding those large lobsters released - about half of those, there's evidence that they've been eating the sea urchin, so that's a good sign at this stage."
Now more are being released into waters under threat.
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