Invasive Rats Disrupt Coral Reef Food Webs by Decimating Seabirds
Invasive rats on remote tropical islands are quietly reshaping entire underwater food webs by decimating seabird populations, according to a study published in Ecology. Researchers found that nutrient-rich guano lost from rat-infested islands alters the balance between tiny cryptobenthic fish and small bottom-dwelling invertebrates on surrounding coral reefs. Invasive Rats and the Disrupted Seabird Nutrient … Read more