Seaweed that grows in the Caribbean blooms four times faster than seaweed in the Pacific Ocean.
But this is bad news for Caribbean coral reefs. If seaweeds bloom faster, corals are less likely to recover once they have been damaged.
Seaweed and coral are in a constant fight for space in the ocean.
Scientists have known for some time that seaweeds can gain the upper hand if corals are damaged by hurricanes or excessively warm sea temperatures that cause coral bleaching.
Read more at The University of Queensland