Abstract
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Seagrasses are the only marine-submerged angiosperms, and there exist approximately 60 species of seagrasses, worldwide.
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Tropical and temperate seagrass ecosystems are markedly different. Temperate seagrasses are larger and beds are denser. Temperate seagrasses respond to seasons and water temperature whereas tropical seagrasses, although also responding to seasons, i.e., wet and dry, do not show growth correlations with changes in water temperature.
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Globally many seagrass beds have been lost, and many more are threatened by human activities; protection is vital. Reduced light (due to eutrophication of coastal regions and sediment disturbance) is the single most important cause of seagrass loss.
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Seagrass beds support numerous invertebrates and juvenile commercially and recreationally important fish and crustaceans. Many of these dependent animal communities are herbivorous but few eat seagrasses. Plants and animals growing on seagrass lead to complex food-web communities, with numerous trophic levels. Many birds and mammals use seagrass ecosystems as sources of food, despite using other coastal ecosystems for habitation.
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Seagrass beds are a sink for nutrients delivered from terrestrial runoff and detritus from seagrass beds and other marine ecosystems. These nutrients support their extensive food web. Seagrass beds are also a significant net sink for atmospheric carbon storage.
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Further Reading
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Kirkman, H. (2014). Near-Coastal Seagrass Ecosystems. In: Monson, R. (eds) Ecology and the Environment. The Plant Sciences, vol 8. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7501-9_20
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