Small marine herbivores have greater effect than grazing land animals

The greatest impact on seafloors and coral reefs comes from small marine snails, who consume a larger portion of seaweed than grazing animals do of land plants.

Marine herbivores are said to remove 70% of the plant material growing on the sea floor, and without them, icons such as the Great Barrier Reef would be unrecognisable due to the rocks and coral being covered in seaweed.

Researchers analysed results from over 600 experiments in the past 40 years, conducted all over the planet, where ecologists have experimentally removed herbivores to witness the effect on the marine habitats.