Florida Bay faces environmental challenges like seagrass die-off. In 2022, the Everglades Foundation announced its scholarships and fellowships, which support graduate students researching to protect and restore America’s Everglades.
Notable projects included a Ph.D. student from the University of Central Florida who improved management plans for the Greater Everglades predator-prey system using genomic and geospatial data and another student from the University of Florida who connected inshore nurseries with offshore reefs to assess restoration effects.
A Florida International University student studied changes in carbon sources in coastal wetlands, while another researched marine wrack deposition’s impact on mangrove soil and blue carbon storage.
In the past 15 years, over 80 graduate students have received $1.8 million in funding. The Everglades Foundation encourages applications from graduate students across U.S. universities engaged in climate and Everglades-related research.
Seagrass meadows cover over 300,000 km² and are found in 159 countries. These underwater ecosystems function like forests, helping to mitigate climate change by absorbing significant amounts of carbon, providing crucial habitats for marine life, and protecting coastal areas from erosion.
On World Seagrass Day, March 1, organizations like the Convention on Migratory Species shared interesting scientific facts on social media to raise awareness about seagrass’s importance for migratory species and climate change mitigation.
Over a billion people worldwide live within 100 km of seagrass meadows, and the ecosystem services provided by seagrass contribute approximately $1.9 trillion annually.
Seagrass covers one-fourth of the world’s meadows, with the Asia-Pacific region serving as a key carbon reservoir.
However, 60% of seagrass beds in Southeast Asia have disappeared in just two decades. This loss results in up to 299 tera-grams of CO2 emissions annually.
Additionally, more than 60% of sea turtle species rely on seagrass for foraging and feeding, while dugongs consume as much as 30 kg daily.
More than 100 species of sharks and rays have been recorded in these meadows. Notably, over 25% of the world’s seagrass meadows are in Asia, where seagrass is recognized as vital blue carbon.
Seagrasses, which are flowering marine plants found in shallow waters, store up to 18% of the ocean’s carbon.
Importantly, seagrass meadows can sequester up to 40 times more carbon than land-based forests.
In this region alone, seagrasses generate $432 billion in ecosystem service value annually. Unfortunately, coastal development, aquaculture, fisheries, and extreme climate events have led to the decline of over 60% of seagrass beds.
To help protect seagrass ecosystems, consider using eco-friendly products, such as biodegradable soaps, detergents, and sunscreens, to prevent harmful chemical runoff.
Avoid consuming seafood caught through bottom trawling, and educate others about the vital role of seagrass in carbon storage, biodiversity, and coastal protection.
Seagrass is one of the planet’s most diverse and valuable marine ecosystems, and it is crucial in the fight against climate change and for the protection of these unique marine plants.
Today is World Seagrass Day!
Covering over 300,000 km2 and present in 159 countries, seagrass meadows act like underwater forests: they help fight climate change by absorbing large amounts of carbon, provide vital habitats for marine life, and protect coastal areas from… pic.twitter.com/0gfh1ZIn6v
— Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) (@BonnConvention) February 28, 2025
#Seagrass covers 1/4 of the world’s meadows, making #AsiaPacific a key carbon reservoir.
Yet, 60% of seagrass beds in Southeast Asia have vanished in just two decades.
🔗 Read more & take action: https://t.co/4aAYiScM93#WorldSeagrassDay #NatureBasedSolutions pic.twitter.com/xwya89SnOI
— United Nations ESCAP (@UNESCAP) March 1, 2025
Seagrass is one of the most diverse & valuable marine ecosystems on the planet.
It's also an important ally in combating climate change.
On Saturday’s #WorldSeagrassDay, learn about the importance of protecting these marine flowering plants.https://t.co/FqudH8Kh9n pic.twitter.com/SbPRdQv0LR
— United Nations (@UN) March 1, 2025
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