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"That then cascades through the food web because without the invertebrates you don't get the birds who are reliant on them for food," Mr MacCarthy said.

Without sea stars to balance the food web, urchin numbers have exploded.

“It will be very important to connect each of these pieces of the puzzle to really understand the impacts on the food web.”

Sediment clouds from mining can travel hundreds or even thousands of miles, potentially disrupting the entire mid-water food web and affecting important species such as tuna.

Ash from forest fires can sometimes boost the growth of phytoplankton, the microscopic algae at the base of the marine food web, thanks to the infusion of nutrients from burned plants.