Scientists urge protection of Africa's seagrass meadows
A new comprehensive review by African researchers highlights the critical need for better protection and restoration of seagrass meadows across the continent. The study identifies significant gaps in current knowledge and calls for more standardized research to preserve these vital coastal ecosystems.
Why it matters
Seagrass meadows are essential for biodiversity and coastal protection, yet they remain under-researched compared to other marine habitats like coral reefs.
A team of African researchers has published the first comprehensive review of seagrass restoration activities across the entire coastline of Africa, warning that these vital but poorly understood underwater ecosystems could be in serious decline.
Seagrasses are flowering plants that grow in shallow coastal waters, where their bright green leaves form underwater meadows. Along the African coastline, these meadows have supported human societies for millennia, offering food, medicine, raw materials, and cultural and spiritual meaning.
Yet seagrass meadows remain among the most poorly understood ocean habitats in terms of their global distribution and status.
Prof Sophie von der Heyden from Stellenbosch University’s Department of Botany and Zoology led the review with colleagues from North, West and East African countries. The study, titled “Identifying and addressing critical gaps to accelerate seagrass restoration in Africa”, was published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.
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