Study: Sharks maintain ecosystems By Howard Cohen, The Miami Herald Published: March 9, 2021, 6:05am Share: Great white sharks and other varieties are an important part of the ecosystem as climate change occurs, scientists say. (Dreamstime) MIAMI — When a major hurricane, extreme heat or other climate threat devastates an ocean’s lifeblood, its recovery could be aided by the presence of sharks. Sharks as oceanic medics? That’s the idea behind a study on sharks and their role in the ocean. The study, led by researchers at Florida International University, was published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. Decimate sharks and you’ve made oceans less resilient to extreme climate events, said the FIU scientists. Researchers at the University of Washington and Deakin University in Victoria, Australia, also contributed to the study.