Red Sea: Seagrasses filter carbon and prevent coastal erosion
Seagrasses are underwater meadows of green, lush leaves that carpet a good portion of the world’s ocean and sea beds. They are flowering plants that grow in sandy grounds, firmly rooted by rhizomes and roots. They only grow in the submerged photic zone — shallow or coastal waters that can be reached by sun rays — because they rely on photosynthesis to grow, just like any other terrestrial plant. These meadows cover over 177,000 square kilometers worldwide, and play essential ecological and environmental roles.
The seagrasses of the Red Sea have been barely studied, but the publication this month of “Field Guide to Seagrasses of the Red Sea”, by marine biologist Amgad al-Shaffai, provides records of seagrasses in this zone.
The publication of the first field guide on this submarine pasture is a first step to assess the Red Sea’s seagrasses, and raise awareness about their importance and the necessity of preventing them from decreasing.
Working in concert, scientists on the island have already collected more than 37000 specimens, from which 251 algal species, 200 fungal species, 3000 marine invertebrate species, 600 marine vertebrate species, 930 plant species, 700 terrestrial
That could promote the growth of algal blooms which deplete oxygen in the water column. Christensen fears that marine animals and plants would then begin dying off in huge numbers. "If we look ahead we are going to see less stable ecosystems in the