An abundance of drifting seaweed or jellyfish can result in significant increases in the survival rates of some juvenile species.

Many coastal juveniles use seaweed for the shelter and the food that is available from invertebrates and other fish associated with it. Drifting seaweed, particularly the pelagic Sargassum, provide a niche habitat with its own shelter and food, and even supports its own unique fauna, such as the sargassum fish. One study, off Florida,