Keeping you up to date with Project Seagrass news and views with a mixture of field notes and commentary on seagrass and marine conservation topics.
Scientists warn that the future of our oceans and climate goals depends on reconnecting the ecological threads that hold coastal habitats together. A new study, launched at the International Seascape Symposium II at ZSL (Zoological Society of London), and published to align with UN Ocean Decade Conference represents two years
In a new blog series, our Conservation Trainee Abi David explores some of the amazing creatures that call seagrass meadows their home. Cuttlefish are molluscs and join squid and octopuses in the Cephalopod family. Predominantly found in temperate and tropical areas, 120 species can be found around the world. Cuttlefish
In this article, Project Seagrass CEO Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth reflects on the United Nations Ocean Conference: The 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference, co-organized by Costa Rica and France was held in the coastal city of Nice, France from 9 to 13 June. Over 15,000 people participated, including 2,000 scientists and
The BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) Treaty is critical for protecting and enhancing seagrass. Most of the world’s seagrass is within national jurisdictions; however, in some locations, such as the Saya De Malha Bank in the Indian Ocean, seagrass is located beyond any national jurisdiction. This means it’s not legally
The seagrass is greener along Florida’s Nature Coast … figuratively, that is. A new study published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series shows that seagrass ecosystems along the northern half of Florida’s Gulf Coast have remained relatively healthy and undisturbed for the last several thousand years. This is not the case for most
An innovative cross-sector partnership between Project Seagrass, Blue Parameters, and WarrenBoats has enabled the installation of two Advanced Sustainable Mooring Systems (ASMS) at Seaview on the Isle of Wight, relieving pressure on the Island’s important seagrass habitats. Seagrass meadows play a critical role in keeping our oceans healthy and are
Around the archipelago of Orkney, are some of the UK’s most pristine seagrass meadows. With numerous sheltered bays, low numbers of inhabitants, and crystal-clear waters, Orkney’s shores provide the ideal conditions for seagrass. However, much remains unknown about these important ecosystems. The Highland Park funded Sjogras Partnership was established to
Following its World Ocean Day launch, everyone from scientists to conservationists, and from community groups to environmental funders now have access to an innovative new knowledge sharing platform: SeagrassRestorer. Launched by an international partnership comprising some of the world’s leading seagrass scientists, SeagrassRestorer provides a unique opportunity to learn not
At Project Seagrass, we rely on the enthusiasm and commitment of our volunteers who support our work to save the world’s seagrass. We couldn’t do it without you! We spoke to Lindsey, one of our regular volunteers in the Solent about her experiences of volunteering with Project Seagrass: 1. Tell
In a guest blog post for World Migratory Bird Day, our Solent Fieldwork Officer Emma Butterworth explores the role that seagrass plays for migratory birds: Every year, migratory birds embark on epic journeys—some spanning thousands of miles—between breeding and wintering grounds. These incredible migrations demand an immense amount of energy,
For approximately 3,000 years, generations of green sea turtles have returned to the same seagrass meadows to eat. This was discovered by Willemien de Kock, a historical ecologist at the University of Groningen, by combining modern data with archaeological findings. Sea turtles migrate between specific breeding places and eating places
Discussions of valuable but threatened ocean ecosystems often focus on coral reefs or coastal mangrove forests. Seagrass meadows get a lot less attention, even though they provide wide-ranging services to society and store lots of climate-warming carbon. But the findings of a new University of Michigan-led study show that seagrass
Mangroves are growing in areas historically dominated by salt marshes and oyster reefs. Invasive pacific oysters are replacing native blue mussels in the Wadden Sea. Macroalgae are exhibiting dominance over hard corals in the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific. Climate change-driven shifts in dominant, habitat-forming species such as these can have significant
Seagrass, a group of aquatic angiosperms, grows in shallow waters in the coastal sea and contributes most of the primary production while participating in many important ecological processes. Heat stress threatens the survival of seagrass, but its damage mechanisms are unclear. Recently, a research team led by Prof. Liu Jianguo
A study of eelgrass meadows planted by researchers from the University of Gothenburg shows that fauna return rapidly once the eelgrass has started to grow. Already after the second summer, the biodiversity in the planted meadow was almost the same as in old established eelgrass meadows. Eelgrass meadows have declined
