Walking with the Alligators

Walking with the Alligators
A Florida Alligator

June 18, 2012

Can Clams Clean Up Our Coral?

Lucinid Clams               Typical Seagrass Meadows
                                            Photo credits:
                      (L) Lucinid Clams - Laura L. Govers
       (R) Typical Seagrass Meadow - Marjolijn J.A. Christianen

Well, according to the Biologists at the University of Florida, yes!
These little cleaner/sweepers are doing a great job on Florida's,
correction, America's only Coral Reef.
This vital Ecosystem just off our shoreline, has been, like all Ecosystems,
used and abused, so any help that it can get is great.
Enter tiny Clams to the rescue.
The seagrass beds just offshore, absorb much of the bacteria/toxins from
the Ocean and would die a slow, painful death from them, if it were not
for these tiny toxin devouring Clams.
The actual study is here:
An interesting Thesis on the process is here:
Another look at the actual process:
So, the next time you run across one of these little Clams, please say thank you!
The seagrass keeps the Ocean clean, the clams keep the seagrass clean.
It is life in perfect harmony and balance.

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