Seagrasses are marine plants that have evolved from land plants. Like their relatives, they have leaves, flowers, seeds, roots and connective tissues, but have adapted to living and reproducing entirely underwater. Seagrass is a type of coastal ecosystem. Seagrasses occur in nearshore sheltered areas, in brackish or marine shallow waters. They form meadows in soft sediments such as sand or mud. Similar to land grasses, their leaves are either strap-like or oval-shaped, growing from rhizomes (underground stems). Seagrasses can easily be confused with marine macroalgae (seaweed) but one of the main distinguishing features is that they produce flowers. Another advantage is their roots and specialised plant tissues; they assist in the uptake of higher nutrient concentrations available in the sediment floor rather than in the water, unlike seaweed.

Threats
• Coastal development, which includes building roads, bridges, canals and marinas
• Poor water quality due to run-off from land clearing, overgrazing and agriculture
• Ports, dredging and any activity that physically damages seagrass or interferes with the conditions around seagrass meadows
• Boating, boat anchors and trampling
• Overfishing
• Pollution and accidental spills
• Climate change
• Human use

Ways You Can Help Seagrass Meadows
• Reducing your carbon footprint
• Buying sustainable and responsibly sourced seafood
• Joining coast care groups in your area
• Working to improve water quality
• Establishing and maintaining buffer zones between coastal habitats and urban developments in their proximities
• Prioritising the protection of areas where mangrove and other coastal habitats are likely to retreat with sea level rise
• Fencing along the intertidal zone to prevent access of livestock
• Creating protected areas of seagrass
• Reducing overfishing

Learn About The Different Seagrass Species