Seagrass, kelp beds, mangroves, and other aquatic vegetation are often considered “ecosystem engineers” for their ability to essentially create their own habitats: Aquatic leaves and reeds slow the flow of water, encouraging sediments to settle nearby to form a foundation on which more plants can grow. Such underwater forests provide shelter to hundreds of organisms,
Climate change affects creatures around the world. But land animals may have a slight advantage over marine species in running from the ill effects of global warming: the ability to escape. The oceans absorb the majority of the excess heat. Because they distribute the heat widely, ocean temperature gains are subtle. But, even a small