A new study by University of Florida researchers found that seagrass meadows put down deep roots, and exist in the same spot for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years.
How we know this.
By turning to the emerging field of paleobiology, the researchers were able to use the fossil record to gain insight into today’s seagrass meadows.
The team collected and identified more than 50,000 shells from mollusks like mussels and oysters from seagrass beds in Florida’s Big Bend. Florida’s Big Bend region, also known as the Nature Coast, is one of the last undeveloped areas of the state’s coastline and home to one of the largest seagrass meadows in the continental U.S. The fossil shells of these mollusks serve as a portal into the past. The teams findings found that 40% of the shells found were more than 500 years old, with the oldest being nearly 2,000 years old.
By comparing the abundance and types of fossil shells with the today’s living populations, the team was able to get a sense of whether the habitat has changed or not. Findings showed that the historic habitat mirrored that of today, meaning the seagrass beds have been around a long time.
Why this matters.
Seagrass meadows are biodiversity hotspots and provide nursery habitats for 70% of Florida’s economically important fish. They also help buffer wave energy, improve water quality and clarity and stabilize the seafloor. This study shows that the location of where the seagrasses exist is crucial to their biodiversity and productivity.
Alexander Challen Hyman, the study’s lead author, said the fact that seagrasses are enduring and stable hotspots over time is one more reason to advocate for seagrass conservation and preservation.
What’s next?
Tom Frazer, Florida’s chief science officer and study co-author, says the study heightens the need for immediate action to improve water quality around the state.
“If we are unable to prevent seagrass loss in a particular area, we may not be able to make up for that loss by trying to establish a new meadow elsewhere,” Frazer told the Florida Museum of Natural History’s science news team.