A recent study published in ‘Nature Reviews Earth & Environment’ (Feb 28, 2025) highlights the rapid decline of seagrass meadows due to human activities.
Key Highlights
- Seagrass is disappearing at a rate of 1-2% per year, with nearly 5% of species endangered.
- Urgent conservation measures are needed to safeguard marine biodiversity and combat climate change.
About Seagrass
Seagrass meadows are underwater plants that play a crucial role in marine ecosystems. They are better than trees for capturing carbon and providing food for millions of people.
Significance
- Capture carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests.
- Provide habitat for 121 threatened species and nearly 750 fish species.
- Support fisheries, contributing to 20% of global fishery landings.
- Protect coastlines from storms and erosion.
Distribution
- Found in shallow coastal waters across the world.
- India hosts 16 seagrass species, mainly in:
- Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep Islands and Gulf of Kutch.
- India’s seagrass cover: 516.59 sq km, absorbing 434.9 tonnes of CO₂ per sq km per year.
Threats
- Pollution from industries, cities, and agriculture.
- Coastal development & tourism degrading fragile habitats.
- Weak enforcement of coastal protection laws.
- Loss of biodiversity—studies in Tamil Nadu’s Manora coast show 54% of the surveyed seafloor lacks seagrass cover.
Conservation Efforts
- Restoration projects worldwide: 2,000+ initiatives, with 23.9% of known seagrass areas protected.
- Successful projects:
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- Virginia, USA: 1,700 hectares of Zostera marina restored.
- India (2011-2020): 14 acres of seagrass restored in Gulf of Mannar & Palk Bay (85-90% success rate).
- Palk Bay: Community-based restoration using bamboo frames & coconut rope.
Call to Action
- Stronger conservation policies with strict enforcement.
- Inclusion of seagrass in national marine conservation plans.
- Collaboration between scientists, policymakers, conservationists, and local communities.
- Focus on restoration alongside protection to ensure long-term sustainability.
Seaweeds
- Seaweeds are a form of macroscopic algae, a primitive type of plant.
- Habitat: They grow in the marine and shallow coastal waters or brackish water habitats and on rocky shores.
- Types: Seaweeds are recognized into Four groups according to their pigments that absorb light of particular wavelengths.
- These are Chlorophyta (green algae), Phaeophyta (brown algae) and Rhodophyta (red algae) and Blue algae.
- India possesses around 434 species of Red Algae, 194 species of Brown Algae, and 216 species of Green Algae.
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Additional Reading: Seaweed Cultivation in India: Status, Importance and Challenges
10 Mar 2025
