A recent review article published in the Nature Reviews Earth & Environment highlights the way seagrass beds support biodiversity and ecosystem services, their dominant threats, and opportunities.
About Seagrasses
- They are marine flowering plants that grow in shallow, coastal waters, typically in estuarine and oceanic habitats.
- Known as the "lungs of the sea," seagrasses play a crucial role in oxygen production through photosynthesis, contributing significantly to marine ecosystems.
- Distribution of Seagrasses
- Found across all continents except Antarctica.
- India: Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay regions on the east coast, Gulf of Kachchh region on the west coast, the lagoons of islands in Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal.
Significance of Segrasses
- Biodiversity Support: Seagrass meadows provide habitat for 121 species of conservation concern and 746 fish species.
- Carbon Sequestration: Seagrasses capture carbon 35 times faster than rainforests, storing 10-18% of the ocean's carbon despite covering less than 0.1% of the seafloor.
- Coastal Protection: Protect coastlines from storms and erosion by reducing wave impact.
- Economic Value: Seagrass ecosystems are valued at US $6.4 trillion annually and support over 20% of global fishery landings, benefiting fishing and tourism industries.
Threats
- Urban, industrial, and agricultural run-off; coastal development; dredging; unregulated fishing and boating activities; and climate change.
Initiatives to Protect SeagrassesGlobal
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