See Sea Slugs Scour Seagrass by the Seashore | Deep Look

Deep Look・2 minutes read

Sea hares help eelgrass meadows thrive by feeding on algae, with sea otters playing a crucial role in maintaining this balance to prevent algal overgrowth. The presence of sea otters leads to a trophic cascade, controlling crab populations that feed on sea hares, ultimately benefiting the eelgrass ecosystems.

Insights

  • The eelgrass sea hare is vital for eelgrass meadows' health, feeding on algae that grows on eelgrass and promoting their growth by sensing water conditions with its rhinophores.
  • The reintroduction of sea otters in the 1980s had a significant positive impact on the ecosystem, as they controlled crab populations that preyed on sea hares, leading to a trophic cascade that allowed eelgrass meadows to recover and thrive.

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Recent questions

  • What is the role of eelgrass sea hares?

    They feed on algae to help eelgrass meadows grow.

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Summary

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Sea hares aid eelgrass growth, otters restore balance.

  • The eelgrass sea hare, a sea slug found off the Pacific Coast of North America, uses its rhinophores to sense water movement, temperature, and smell, while feeding on microscopic algae that coats eelgrass, helping the meadows grow and thrive.
  • Seagrass meadows, crucial for controlling erosion and absorbing carbon, were threatened by algal blooms due to fertilizer runoff and the absence of sea otters, which were hunted almost to extinction. The reintroduction of sea otters in the 1980s led to a trophic cascade, balancing the ecosystem by controlling crab populations that prey on sea hares, allowing the eelgrass meadows to flourish once more.
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