Crown-of-thorns starfish may help coral reef diversity: study

SYDNEY, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS), notorious coral predators blamed for damaging Australia's Great Barrier Reef, may have a positive role in maintaining coral diversity when their populations are kept at low levels, new research has found. The study challenges the perception of COTS as purely destructive, suggesting that controlled populations can have a positive impact on coral preval