It is often seen as a messy irritant on the beach, and yet few people realise the global significance of seagrass. Scientists have recently discovered that this super plant holds as much greenhouse gas as the rainforests, acts as a giant purification system to clarify water, protects our shorelines from erosion, and produces gigantic amounts of sugar. The world’s seagrass meadows are also an essential habitat for countless creatures, some of which spend their entire existence in its undergrowth.
And yet, despite these superpowers, seagrass has a nemesis – humans. In the past 100 years, global warming, pollution, fishing, and the countless anchors ploughing through the world’s seagrass fields have destroyed 30% of them.
To better understand this superplant and to protect it from further damage, an international alliance of scientists has joined forces.
