Posidonia seagrass meadows, veritable underwater forests, play a major ecological role. Under constant pressure from human activity, scientists are looking for ways to ensure their survival, in particular by carrying out restoration campaigns. A study conducted by the University of Liège at the marine and oceanographical research station STARESO (Calvi,
This summer, teams came together in Makassar, Indonesia, for the Seagrass Knowledge for Action in Southeast Asia workshop to explore pathways forward for strengthening knowledge, building research capacity, and development to further safeguard local seagrass social-ecological systems. Co-hosted by Universitas Hasanuddin (UNHAS) and Project Seagrass, the workshop involved teams from
In a new blog series, our Conservation Trainee Abi David explores some of the amazing creatures that call seagrass meadows their home. The Brent Goose Branta bernicla is of a similar size to a Mallard duck, making it one of the smallest goose species in the world. They are a
Seagrass Restoration Efforts to restore seagrass marine habitat at our two restoration sites on the Isle of Wight began in March and April this year under the Solent Seascape Project. A total of 132,000 seeds and 2,160 transplants have been planted across the two sites. There are plans to continue this
Following scientific trials in 2019, in 2020 many seagrass seeds were planted in Dale, supported by the community, school children and local organisations. Since planting, the seagrass area has been reseeded several times to infill gaps and support it as it develops. Despite some setbacks, the restoration area is now
Restoration Forth aims to restore seagrass meadows and native oysters into the Firth of Forth, to create a healthier coastline for people and nature. Find out more about the project here. We’ve reached 30,000 oysters! October was a busy month for the Restoration Forth oyster team. We had an absolutely
Posidonia seagrass meadows, veritable underwater forests, play a major ecological role. Under constant pressure from human activity, scientists are looking for ways to ensure their survival, in particular by carrying out restoration campaigns. A study conducted by the University of Liège at the marine and oceanographical research station STARESO (Calvi, Corsica) reveals that the transplantation method directly influences the root microbiome, which is essential for the survival of the plants. These results pave the way for more effective and sustainable restoration techniques. The paper is published in the journal Environmental Microbiome. Roots growing on a Posidonia cutting transplanted using metal staples. Arnaud Boulenger conditioning Posidonia roots for genetic analysis of the microbiome. Credit: University of Liège, Arnaud Boulenger Often compared to terrestrial forests, Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows form off the coast of the Mediterranean. These ecosystems act as environmental sentinels, stabilizing the seabed, storing carbon, and harboring exceptional biodiversity. Unfortunately, scientists have been observing a decline in their population for many years due to coastal urbanization, boat anchoring, and climate change. To halt this decline, researchers are experimenting with transplanting cuttings. “Until now, efforts have focused mainly on their visible survival, i.e., root recovery and leaf growth,” explains Arnaud Boulenger, a Ph.D. candidate in oceanography at ULiège (Belgium). “However, the study we conducted at STARESO reveals that the health of seagrass beds also depends on an invisible network of microorganisms associated with the roots.” It is therefore not enough to simply replant the seagrass meadows; we must also ensure the good health of their microbiome. By testing three transplantation techniques—metal staples, coconut fiber mats and potato starch structures—the team showed that the choice of substrate profoundly changed the composition of the microbiome. “Staples, which allow direct contact with the sediment, promote the establishment of key bacteria such as Chromatiales and Desulfobacterales, which are essential for the sulfur and nitrogen cycles,” the researcher explains. “Conversely, the other methods delay this beneficial colonization.” Scientists highlight that restoration methods must now incorporate this microbiological dimension, as these bacteria play a direct role in plant resilience. “These results are groundbreaking,” says Sylvie Gobert, oceanographer. “This is the first time that a study has demonstrated in situ the importance of the microbiome in the success of Posidonia transplantation. The results we have obtained open up concrete perspectives, such as the inoculation of beneficial bacteria or the design of supports that facilitate root-sediment interaction.” Restoring a seagrass bed is therefore much more than just replanting cuttings underwater. It means recreating an entire ecosystem, both visible and invisible, in which bacteria play a crucial role. As Boulenger sums it up, “it’s a bit like replanting a forest, while also ensuring that the soil that nourishes it is brought back to life.” More information: This article is republished from PHYS.ORG and provided by the University of Liège. Arnaud Boulenger et al, Microbiome matters: how transplantation methods and donor origins shape the successful restoration of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica, Environmental Microbiome (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s40793-025-00764-9
This summer, teams came together in Makassar, Indonesia, for the Seagrass Knowledge for Action in Southeast Asia workshop to explore pathways forward for strengthening knowledge, building research capacity, and development to further safeguard local seagrass social-ecological systems. Co-hosted by Universitas Hasanuddin (UNHAS) and Project Seagrass, the workshop involved teams from across Indonesia and the Philippines including Forkani, Yapeka, and C3 (Philippines) who joined forces to discuss highlights, setbacks and future dreams for seagrass conservation, protection and restoration in their local contexts and more broadly within the region. The workshop provided an opportunity to discuss our plans for future collaborative work in Southeast Asia, building upon work undertaken through the Seagrass Ecosystem Services project. Partners discussed pervasive threats to seagrass within each of their local study regions and explored the numerous commonalities between their organisation’s locations. In addition to threats, the limitations that prevent partners from addressing these threats and undertaking social-ecological research were identified. A diverse and numerous array of research and capacity building barriers were discussed which were associated with governance, social, ecological, socio-cultural, cultural, spiritual, logistical, and funding limitations. Though nuanced, and taking different forms for each organisation, the identification of these barriers provides essential context for helping to develop research and build local capacity in partner organisations. Each partner discussed their research priorities which concerned many dimensions of seagrass social-ecological systems and the just protection and conservation of seagrass meadows for food security, poverty alleviation, cultural importance, and local livelihood support. Through these conversations, partners explored the spaces within these research priorities that require conservation actions, what these actions may well be, and what support may be required to bring these priorities to reality. Following these in-depth discussions partners also worked on shaping a paper focusing on persistent threats and urgent calls to action to reduce these threats. From 2026, Project Seagrass’ international strategy will also include grant giving, which has been co-conceptualised and developed with local NGO’s, and has been evidenced by others.
In a new blog series, our Conservation Trainee Abi David explores some of the amazing creatures that call seagrass meadows their home. The Brent Goose Branta bernicla is of a similar size to a Mallard duck, making it one of the smallest goose species in the world. They are a highly social species and form strong bonds within the groups they live in. If you spot a group of Brent Geese, look out for the ‘compass’ goose – this is the leader of the group and will lead the way between foraging areas. Depending on the species of Brent Goose, individuals may have a dark or light belly, along with a dark head and body, with adults having a small white patch on their necks. They can be seen throughout the UK during the autumn/ winter months in marine, intertidal or wetland areas. Dark bellied Brent Geese. Photo Credit Emma Butterworth Migration Just like many other bird species, Brent Geese carry out an annual migration. They spend summer months breeding and raising chicks in the Arctic and migrate to Western Europe for more temperate winters. Generally, the individuals we get overwintering here in the UK are from Siberia. Due to these long migration routes and small body size, Brent Geese have a high food demand meaning they heavily rely on stopovers to refuel. Their most popular stopover sites tend to be Zostera marina meadows. Large numbers of Brent Geese have been spotted for several weeks each year in Izembek Lagoon (Alaska), lagoons in Baja California, the German/Danish Wadden Sea, the Golfe du Morbihan (France), British estuaries, and the White Sea (Western Russian Arctic). Diet Brent Geese are heavily herbivorous and mainly consume seagrass. They have relatively short necks and lack the ability to dive so can only reach plants at low tide or in shallow water. Interestingly, during breeding season the geese will consume a wide range of plant species but show a strong preference for Zostera species throughout non-breeding seasons due to the high digestibility and nutritional value compared to other options. They have been observed eating both the leaves and rhizomes of the plants. Importance of seagrass for Brent Goose populations As mentioned previously, Brent Geese rely heavily on seagrass during their migrations. This can be seen in population trends. In the 1930s, Zostera species across the North American coast were heavily affected by wasting disease and there was a significant population decline. At the same time, a steep decline in Brent Goose population was also observed on both sides of the Atlantic, with estimates ranging from 75 – 90% of populations lost. During the 1950s, there was a good recovery of seagrass beds in the areas previously affected, which was followed by a recovery of Brent Goose populations from around 15,000 to over 100,000. Similar smaller scale events like this have been observed, showing just how important healthy seagrass meadows are for species like the Brent Goose that rely so heavily on them. Are Brent Geese bad for seagrass restoration? It could be argued that Brent Geese are bad for seagrass and bad for seagrass restoration due to their consumption of the plants. However, there is a bit more to it than that. Seagrass provides services for many species, and a food source is one of those. Anecdotally, there have been instances where restoration has occurred only for geese to come along and eat all of the freshly planted shoots, which really isn’t ideal. In the scientific literature, there is mixed evidence about how much the geese will consume and how this affects the meadow’s health, which makes it difficult to quantify their impact. Some research notes that the percent the geese eat out of the whole meadow is actually quite small and a healthy meadow should have no issue recovering from any damage. The geese could even be useful in seagrass restoration. They tend to only be seen where food is available and as such are an indicator species for the health of an ecosystem. Like all birds, they are useful for their ability to spread nutrients and seeds through their faeces, helping to spread plant species more widely than they would on their own. Additionally, they are an important food source for predators such as foxes and raptors in their Arctic breeding grounds. Brent Geese, like any other species using seagrass, are carrying out behaviours that have evolved over thousands of years. Therefore, the question of whether geese are bad for seagrass restoration is not a straightforward one. What do you think? Sources: Ganter, B. (2000). Seagrass ( Zostera spp.) as food for brent geese ( Branta bernicla ): an overview. Helgoland Marine Research, 54(2–3), 63–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s101520050003 Find out more the role that seagrass plays for migratory birds here.
Seagrass Restoration Efforts to restore seagrass marine habitat at our two restoration sites on the Isle of Wight began in March and April this year under the Solent Seascape Project. A total of 132,000 seeds and 2,160 transplants have been planted across the two sites. There are plans to continue this planting in spring 2025 using the same methods. Continued monitoring of the restoration sites and WWF seagrass planting trials are undertaken during fieldwork on a monthly basis. Summer Seagrass Seed Harvest During July, we collected seagrass seeds (Zostera marina) from three meadows around the Isle of Wight. We were joined by 117 volunteers and some of our funders and project partners as part of our seagrass seed harvesting wade and pick event. We collectively harvested 101, 710 seeds in total, which will contribute towards 2025’s restoration efforts. Seagrass Safe Sailor We’ve been working with the boating community on the island to explore Advanced Mooring Systems (AMS), and promote seagrass safe sailing practices. Two AMS have been designed and are in the final stages of being installed at Seaview. These AMS provide a demonstration of how AMS can work safelyin a challenging tidal environment with moving sediment and currents, whilst reducing scarring on the extensive seagrass meadow here. In 2025, we’ll be monitoring seagrass recovery at Seaview, and working with local stakeholders to map the seagrass meadow. You can explore our Seagrass Safe Sailor resources here. Fragment Walks This year we, and many volunteers have also been restoring seagrass through fragments (washed up seagrass). We have: Set up two fragment collection points at St Helen’s and Arc Biodiversity in Sandown Run eight fragment collection walks Planted 329 plants over 17m² Run two school-focused fragment collection walks Worked with over 200 volunteers. To find out more about our Fragment Walk initiative visit our blog article. Looking Back and Moving Forward: A Big Thank You to Our Volunteers! This year has been incredibly busy, and we couldn’t have succeeded without our amazing volunteers. Your dedication has been invaluable. As we plan for an exciting 2025, we’re eager to welcome familiar faces back and meet new ones. Let’s make next year even better together! Thank you for being a vital part of the seagrass community.
Following scientific trials in 2019, in 2020 many seagrass seeds were planted in Dale, supported by the community, school children and local organisations. Since planting, the seagrass area has been reseeded several times to infill gaps and support it as it develops. Despite some setbacks, the restoration area is now doing well, with a great increase in growth this year seen in recent monitoring. The natural patch of seagrass closer to the shore (Frenchman’s Bay area) is also doing well, likely due to seagrass seeds being transported to this area from the restoration area, and natural growth. Scuba divers went out in autumn 2024 and covered 3,000 m² of the restoration area, surveying in ten distinct lines. The results show that the average number of shoots within each seagrass clump has greatly increased since 2023. This means that the clumps of seagrass are larger, with the potential to patch together with more growth to form a meadow. The seagrass in the restoration is looking healthy and growing well! The average number of shoots across the whole restoration area has also increased since 2023, and recovered since a trawling and storm incidentthat impacted the seagrass from 2021 to 2022. Leaf length of the seagrass has remained stable from 2023 to 2024, suggesting that the seagrass is reaching it’s maximum length for the environmental conditions. We’ve also been co-delivering many seagrass related activities with local businesses – including seagrass paddleboard and snorkel safaris, art activities, seine netting, community meetings and more. We have our first Sensitive Ecosystem Responsible Fisher (SERF) and are trialling seagrass friendly lobster pots. We also continue to support the visitor moorings located outside of the restoration area – with donations encouraged for use. We couldn’t have achieved what has been without the ongoing support of Dale Seagrass Stakeholder Group, who continue to provide oversight to the project.
Restoration Forth aims to restore seagrass meadows and native oysters into the Firth of Forth, to create a healthier coastline for people and nature. Find out more about the project here. We’ve reached 30,000 oysters! October was a busy month for the Restoration Forth oyster team. We had an absolutely amazing number of volunteers dedicate over 900 hours of their time this autumn to help us get the last 10,700 oysters through the biosecurity process, stringed so they were ready for monitoring, and then safely deployed in their new home. This brings our total oysters restored to the Firth of Forth to 30,638, exceeding our 30,000 target! We really can’t thank everyone enough who joined us over the last year to make this possible, it really could not have been achieved without all your hard work. In August, the Heriot-Watt University team were also out monitoring the oysters that were deployed in the spring. We are very pleased to share with you that there was an incredible 85% survival rate of the oysters monitored! This survival rate is such a great start for these oysters, we can only hope that monitoring continues to show them doing well in their new home. Seagrass processing completed In summer 2024, the seagrass team collected reproductive seagrass shoots in Orkney, Inverness, and Burntisland. With the help of over 150 volunteers, all seeds have now been separated from the seagrass material, ahead of planting in March 2025. Eleri and Lyle delivered the seagrass seeds to the Project Seagrass nursery, where they will be stored over the winter. Thank you to all our volunteers that have helped process seagrass material over the past couple of weeks. Understanding Scotland’s Seagrass Survey You are invited to participate in a short, online survey focussed on better understanding Scottish seagrass ecosystems. Local knowledge is invaluable in understanding this habitat, the challenges it faces and its impact on communities connected to it. The survey aims to explore: The location and status of local meadows Possible, localised reasons for decline Community perspectives, including; concerns, barriers and needs Responses will identify how best to support coastal communities in seagrass conservation, ensuring local voices play a central role in shaping future strategies by those working in this field. Find out more and access the survey here. (Scots Gaelic speakers can access a translated version using the drop-down box on the survey). We hope to reach communities across Scotland’s coastline, a big task! As such, sharing in your networks is greatly appreciated. The higher the participation, the stronger an impact this research can have. Any questions please contact katy@projectseagrass.org Citizen Science Update Thank you so much to those of you who submitted survey data for our oyster citizen science. We have collated all the results that were submitted up until September, and a summary of those results can be found here. An amazing 130 surveys were submitted altogether across Fife, Edinburgh and East Lothian! This data is incredibly useful in conjunction with other site suitability assessments to help identify future locations for oyster restoration. Outcome of the Nature of Scotland Awards! We won! Restoration Forth are delighted to have won the Coast and Waters award at this years RSPB Nature of Scotland Awards. Thank you so much to all who have helped make this project a success!
