Scientists Discover Cause Of Sea Urchin Die-Offs In The Caribbean

The long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum is a keystone species. Coral reefs rely on healthy sea urchins to eat algae so coral can thrive. Healthy coral means healthy fish, and their positive impacts continue up the food chain.

In early 2022, long-spined sea urchins in St. Thomas began to quickly die in large numbers....