Sea Grass Meadows, Gardens of the Sea

In our last marine ecosystems blog, we talked about Mangroves. In this blog, we will talk about seagrass Meadows or seagrass beds. Today we will talk about: What is seagrass, where are they found, what animals live there, and why are they important.

Seagrass is a marine flowering plant, so while it looks the same as the grass in our yards they are not the same. Seagrass meadows are found on all continents in shallow seas growing near land. There are 72 species of seagrass and categorized into 4 families. Seagrass meadows are a constantly changing environment as it is submerged by water and also dried.

Seagrasses meadows are such peaceful ecosystems. Everything feels calm, the seagrass sways back and forth as you swim through it. Honestly, it is such a tranquil ecosystem, I enjoy it so much. Seagrass meadows are so full of life. You can find sea turtles, seahorses, manatees, crabs, and so many others. Seagrass meadows are important ecosystems.

Seagrass meadows provide housing and shelter to more than 1000 species of fish as well as so many other species. Some of the fish species are ones that we eat like cod, thus this ecosystem is important to protect. Seagrass meadows also support other marine ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs. They are all connected and when one ecosystem is healthy and thriving so are the others. Seagrass meadows are also helpful with climate change as they capture 10% of CO2 that is buried in ocean sediment every year.

Unfortunately, seagrass meadows are being lost at an alarming rate. Seagrass meadows are affected by coastal development when new buildings are being developed. They are also affected by pollution, from runoff of chemicals and waste that then creates a breeding ground for algal blooms. Another challenge is damage from local boating. It’s important to then find solutions. In coastal development, it's important to make sure not to harm these environments and instead to engineer eco-friendly buildings. When it comes to pollution it's important to not use chemicals on lawn work, but more importantly, it will take waste management services to make a positive change. When boating it is vital to be aware of where to drop the anchor.

Seagrass meadows are such wonderful “gardens of the sea” that house so many amazing animals. They are important food security for many people. They are being lost but can be protected and helped if we come together. Let me know if sea grass meadows are your favorite marine ecosystem?