from Torbay and Wales to Thailand and China
“Despite their small footprint, seagrass ecosystems provide outsized environmental benefits.” [Chapman University]
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Last month it was World Seagrass Day and Seagrass Awareness Month:
“A new phase of our Seagrass Ocean Rescue project began in Wales, England and Scotland, UK, with over 300,000 seeds that we harvested last summer, leaving our seed storage unit to be planted. In Wales, this project will continue until the end of 2026, with an aim to have planted seagrass across 10 hectares of the seabed. This project builds on the support of the local community in Pen Llyn, Wales. Furthermore, we have also teamed up with WWF Cymru with a petition to call upon the Welsh Government and express the urgency to support the restoration seagrass meadows.”
Perhaps none too soon, as the world’s seagrass areas are facing intense pressure – from seagrass decline in Thailand’s Andaman Sea to rare earth elements being found in China’s seagrass beds.
However, there are efforts afoot – including in the British Isles: Scotland’s most ambitious seagrass planting scheme starting on 1st March (World Seagrass Day!) and a day later the Torbay project was launched to protect seagrass meadows. Plus it’s been announced that seagrass is to feature in the Chelsea Flower Show for the first time next month.
Meanwhile, the research continues, with it announced today that a tiny sea slug could have a big impact on successful coastal conservation efforts:
“The study, “Variation in thermal tolerance plasticity and the costs of heat exposure in the estuarine sea hare, Phyllaplysia taylori,” published in the journal Ecosphere, reveals that this small sea slug is both remarkably heat-tolerant and genetically diverse across its wide range — key traits that make it an ideal partner for climate-resilient coastal restoration.
The findings come at a critical time, as coastal development and industrial activities continue to degrade seagrass beds worldwide. Despite their small footprint, seagrass ecosystems provide outsized environmental benefits — serving as essential nurseries for commercial fish species, storing significant amounts of coastal carbon, protecting shorelines from waves, and helping to buffer against ocean acidification.”
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