[Animals] Marine meadows: what they are, characteristics and animals

[#Wittels-]

The oceans cover approximately 70% of the earth's surface and fulfill essential functions for life. Despite this, little is known about them and the biodiversity that their depths harbor.

You may have heard of coral reefs, but have you ever heard of “seagrass beds”? Yes, near the coast and at a shallow depth there are seagrass meadows made up of vascular plants that resemble the grasses of terrestrial meadows. Would you like to learn more about them? Today at EcologíaVerde we teach you what seagrass beds are, what their characteristics are and what animals live in them.

 

What are seagrass beds
Seagrass meadows are underwater ecosystems formed by angiosperm plants adapted to strictly saline environments. These vascular plants are distributed throughout the oceans of almost the entire world and currently some 66 species classified into 4 families are recognized. There are exclusively marine species such as those of the families Zosteraceae, Posidoniaceae, Cymodoceaceae; and a family with both freshwater and saltwater species: Hydrocharitaceae.

Marine angiosperm plants have the following characteristics:

 

Taxonomically they belong to the monocot class.
They are perennial, that is, they live for more than two years.
Most of them look like “grass”.
They have a rhizomatous underground system.
It develops on sandy, muddy or sandy-muddy bottoms.
They live in shallow areas, since they must receive light to photosynthesize.
Its reproduction can be realized both vegetatively and sexually through the production of flowers and fruits.
Now that you know the qualities of the plants that form these peculiar "seagrasses" we know the characteristics of seagrass beds.

 

Characteristics of seagrass beds
Seagrass meadows can be made up of a single species of plants, that is, they are monospecific, or several species can coexist, transforming them into multispecific. Regardless of their formation, they all have great importance at an ecological level:

Primary producers: being photosynthetic organisms, they are considered valuable primary producers since they produce large concentrations of oxygen that are released into the bright medium. Here you can read this other article on Producing Organisms: what they are and examples.
Carbon fixation: by fixing a large percentage of carbon dioxide continuously, it plays a fundamental role in mitigating climate change: according to research, seagrass beds can capture and store carbon in their deep roots, sequestering approximately 10% of the carbon from the oceans. You can read this other post to learn more about what is blue carbon or blue carbon.
Availability of light: the leaves of marine angiosperms capture sediments, thus regulating the turbidity of the water, which allows light to reach greater depths and creates an environment conducive to the development of seabed organisms.
Shoreline Protection: By buffering water movement and retaining particles in its root and rhizome systems, it reduces shoreline erosion.
Bioindicators: as they are sessile and perennial organisms, they are sensitive to environmental changes, such as the environmental quality of the coasts or pressure from humans. Learn more about Bioindicators: what they are, types and examples.
Shelter and reproduction of fauna: seagrass meadows provide refuge sites for certain animal species, since many hide, thus avoiding predation. In turn, use these areas as breeding and breeding sites, and some migratory birds rest and feed there.
 

seagrass animals
Seagrass meadows have a great diversity of organisms that, as we mentioned before, use these sites in order to feed, reproduce and care for their young. Some of the most frequent organisms to find are the following:

Seagrass Vertebrates
Fish: the fish that constitute the most important aquatic macrofauna of the seagrass beds due to the diversity, spatio-temporal distribution and abundance that they present. In the "seagrasses" there is usually a large number of fish of different classes and ages, although, in general, there is a greater presence of juvenile and immature individuals. Within the fish there is a family: Syngnathidae, to which the seahorses belong, species that can also be seen in the prairies. Here you can learn more about the Classification of fish.
Turtles: Adult turtles specifically of the species Chelonia mydas (green turtle) are associated with seagrasses as they feed on these seagrasses. In this other post we tell you more about what sea turtles eat.
Manatees: Manatees are placental mammals that spend a great deal of time feeding on grasslands, as seagrasses are their primary food source.

 

Seagrass Invertebrates
Starfish: Starfish belong to the phylum echinoderms and is one of the most commonly known groups that inhabit the bottom of the sea. They feed mainly on benthic invertebrates and generally have five arms, although other species may have more: if these are damaged or lost, they can be regenerated. Learn more about Starfish: characteristics, reproduction and taxonomy by reading this other article.
Sea urchins: Like starfish, they belong to the echinoderm phylum. Hedgehogs move slowly over the substrate through mobile feet and spines and some species of them have spikes that if you step on them can cause great pain and burning. In this link you can learn more about the Types of sea urchins.
Gastropods: Commonly known as sea snails, gastropods are the largest class within the mollusc phylum that exists. They have a unique spiral-shaped shell that, in some species such as sea slugs, is reduced. They can be herbivores, detritivores and even carnivores. We tell you more about What are gastropods: types and characteristics.
Bivalves: like gastropods, they belong to the mollusc phylum and are named in this way because they have two generally symmetrical and united valves. They feed by filtering the water and some species can burrow into the substrate. The best known examples within this class are oysters, clams and mussels.
Cephalopods: another class of marine invertebrates are the cephalopods, for example: octopuses, squids and cuttlefish. Cephalopods have mouthparts with a powerful structure that allows them to tear their prey and, in addition, they are made up of cells with pigments capable of changing color depending on the environment, which allows them to blend in.
Crustaceans: Crustaceans are a numerous subphylum of arthropods that include crabs, lobsters, prawns, shrimp, among others. It has been discovered that these invertebrates are capable of carrying out the pollination of marine angiosperms belonging to the meadows. These tiny animals feed on pollen grains from the stamens of male flowers and carry them to the stigmas of female flowers.

 

Link: https://www.ecologiaverde.com/praderas-marinas-que-son-caracteristicas-y-animales-3884.html