Seagrasses are marine flowering plants that form meadows along the coastlines of every continent except Antarctica, and inhabit mostly sandy and muddy substrates. Globally, it is estimated that 7% of seagrass meadows decline annually. Scientists attribute this to poor water quality caused by pollutants, especially nutrients and sediments. Seagrasses are important nursery grounds for a rich diversity of marine species such as certain finfish, shellfish, sea cucumbers, penaeid prawns, dugongs and sea turtles. Covering a mere 0.1% of the ocean surface, seagrasses provide more than 24 ecosystem services that benefit humans. Seagrasses are often considered to be the “lungs of the ocean” due to their capacity to trap carbon, thus making them one of the Earth’s greatest carbon sinks.
