Secret Gardens Under the Sea: What are Seagrass Meadows and Why are They Important?

In nearly all the seas around the world, in the shallow waters next to the land, are secret underwater gardens. These gardens are home to a special marine (saltwater) plant called seagrass. When seagrass grows in large areas, the habitat it creates is called a seagrass meadow. Seagrass meadows play an important role in keeping our oceans healthy and providing a home for all kinds of marine life. This marine life includes fishes that people eat, such as cod and plaice but also endangered species such as seahorses, turtles, and sea cows. Seagrasses absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from the surrounding seawater, and so help to reduce the speed of climate change. Seagrasses help protect our coastlines from storms and rising tides because their leaves take energy out of the waves hitting the coast, and their roots act as an anchor in the underwater sand. Seagrasses also soak up nutrients and bacteria, helping to keep our seawater clean. But seagrasses around the world are being lost at a rate of about two football fields every hour. Lots of things can damage seagrass, from polluted water revIeWed by: