Alligators create hotspots for life by digging holes with their snouts

Alligators living in Florida marshes create nutrient-rich hotspots that help some algae, plants and other animals thrive.

Animals like beavers are widely considered ecosystem engineers – by felling trees and building dams, they change their environment in ways that benefit other species. But American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) have rarely been considered for their impact on wetland ecosystems, despite their penchant for making a mark on the landscape. From the mucky wetland slough, the large reptiles use their snouts and tails to dig holes in …