Seagrass and Soft-Bottom Ecosystems

Seagrass ecosystems comprise of aquatic flowering plants that can live in seawater. These types of ecosystems occur in shallow water environments. 

Primarily, seagrass supports biodiversity by functioning as a food source for grazing and detritus-feeding creatures. They can also be a nursery for young fish, crustaceans, and other reef organisms. In addition, seagrass is able to recycle nutrients from sediments back to the open sea, while also functioning to stabilize sediments, ensuring the integrity of the seabed. As such, seagrass also functions as a buffer against wave or storm-related damage to its immediate vicinity, protecting the life forms that make it their natural habitat.