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A seagrass meadow or seagrass bed is an underwater ecosystem formed by seagrasses. Seagrasses are marine (saltwater) plants found in shallow coastal waters and in the brackish waters of estuaries . Seagrasses are flowering plants with stems and long green, grass-like leaves.
Since the late 19th century, over 20% of the global seagrass area has been lost, with seagrass bed loss occurring at a rate of 1.5% each year. [119] Of the 72 global seagrass species, approximately one quarter (15 species) could be considered at a Threatened or Near Threatened status on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. [120]
As of 2010 there were 10 seagrass species at high risk of extinction. While three were considered endangered. With seagrass species loss comes biodiversity loss. This paper studies not only human impact on seagrass beds but also global climate change and how changing environments are impacting seagrasses worldwide (Short, Frederick T. et al ...
Seagrass meadows provide homes for young fish and protected creatures such as seahorses and stalked jellyfish.
The western coast contain notable and diverse seagrass beds; Cockburn Sound and the Swan River estuary, and the Houtman Abrolhos, Rottnest and other islands. The Wooramel Seagrass Bank 12 species - estimated 4,500 km 2 of seabed - at Shark Bay is the largest reported seagrass meadows in the world (Walker, 1989).
Posidonia oceanica, commonly known as Neptune grass or Mediterranean tapeweed, is a seagrass species that is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. [2] It forms large underwater meadows that are an important part of the ecosystem. The fruit is free floating and known in Italy as "the olive of the sea" (l'oliva di mare [3]).
Zostera marina is a flowering vascular plant species as one of many kinds of seagrass, with this species known primarily by the English name of eelgrass with seawrack much less used, and refers to the plant after breaking loose from the submerged wetland soil, and drifting free with ocean current and waves to a coast seashore.
A bill co-sponsored by Rep. Toby Overdorf seems well intentioned, but it wouldn't adequately protect fragile seagrass beds from destruction. Marine 'mitigation banks' aren't answer for protecting ...