Honu may help control invasive algae, UH study shows

Honu may help control invasive algae, UH study shows

Sea turtles were seen foraging a destructive algae in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, which scientists say show the animals have an important role in controlling the species — but they may also be spreading it. Chondria tumulosa, an aggressive invasive algae, was first detected at Manawai, or Pearl and Hermes Atoll, in 2016, according to a University of Hawaii news release. The algae forms dense mats more than 6 centimeters thick that can suf…