Overview:
Seagrasses are flowering plants that grow in shallow coastal waters, forming extensive underwater meadows. They are often mistaken for seaweeds, but unlike seaweeds, seagrasses have roots, stems, and leaves.

​

Key Species:

• Zostera (Eelgrass): Found in temperate and subtropical waters, eelgrass provides essential habitat for fish, shellfish, and invertebrates. It is also a significant carbon sink, helping to mitigate climate change.

• Thalassia (Turtle Grass): Common in tropical and subtropical waters, turtle grass forms dense beds that are vital for the survival of many marine species, including endangered sea turtles.

​

Importance:

• Biodiversity: Seagrass meadows are one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth, supporting a wide range of marine life.

• Erosion Control: Their roots stabilize the seabed, preventing coastal erosion.

• Carbon Sequestration: Seagrasses store large amounts of carbon, playing a critical role in regulating the global carbon cycle.

​

Threats:
Seagrasses are highly sensitive to water quality and are threatened by pollution, coastal development, and climate change. Loss of seagrass meadows can lead to declines in fish populations, increased coastal erosion, and reduced carbon storage.

Overview:
Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees that grow along tropical and subtropical coastlines. They thrive in harsh conditions where few other plants can survive, forming dense forests that are crucial to the health of coastal ecosystems.

​

Key Species:

• Rhizophora (Red Mangrove): Known for its stilt-like roots, red mangroves are often the first line of defense against coastal erosion. They provide a nursery for many marine species and act as a buffer against storms.

• Avicennia (Black Mangrove): Found further inland, black mangroves have pneumatophores—specialized roots that stick out of the soil to obtain oxygen in waterlogged conditions.

​

Importance:

• Coastal Protection: Mangroves protect shorelines from erosion and storm surges, reducing the impact of hurricanes and tsunamis.

• Habitat: They provide critical habitat for a wide range of marine and terrestrial species, including fish, birds, and insects.

• Carbon Storage: Mangrove forests are some of the most efficient carbon sinks, storing up to four times more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests.

​

Threats:
Mangroves are threatened by deforestation, coastal development, and rising sea levels. Their destruction leads to increased coastal vulnerability, loss of biodiversity, and significant carbon emissions.

Overview:
Algae are diverse and abundant, ranging from microscopic phytoplankton to large seaweeds like kelp. They are not true plants but are vital to the ocean’s productivity and the global carbon cycle.

​

Key Species:

• Macrocystis (Giant Kelp): One of the largest seaweeds, giant kelp forms towering underwater forests along temperate coasts. These forests are among the most productive and biodiverse ecosystems on the planet.

• Sargassum: A brown algae that floats freely in the ocean, forming large mats that provide habitat for a variety of marine life, including fish and sea turtles.

​

Importance:

• Primary Production: Algae are primary producers, forming the base of the marine food web and supporting all marine life.

• Oxygen Production: Phytoplankton, a type of microscopic algae, produces more than half of the world’s oxygen.

• Nutrient Cycling: Algae play a crucial role in nutrient cycling, helping to maintain the health and balance of marine ecosystems.

​

Threats:
Algae populations are affected by ocean warming, acidification, and pollution. Overgrowth of harmful algae, known as algal blooms, can also be a sign of nutrient pollution and lead to dead zones where marine life cannot survive.

Overview:

Kelp Forests are underwater ecosystems dominated by fast-growing seaweed.

​

Importance:

• provide shelter for invertebrates, fish, marine mammals, and birds. The structural complexity of the kelp offers protection from predators and strong ocean currents

• Absorbs carbon dioxide during photosynthesis: mitigate the effects of climate change. When kelp dies, much of this carbon is transferred to the deep sea, effectively removing carbon from the atmosphere

• Coastal protection: reduces coastal erosion by buffering shorelines against the waves. It mitigates damage from storms.