Fishermen know to seek out areas with seagrass meadow as they act as nurseries for many and varied water creatures. Some bacteria, algae and invertebrates live directly on the grassy blades where they also provide benefit by cleaning the grass blades. Other organism, such as clams and sponges, seek protection among the blades or directly on the sediment in which the grass is growing. These smaller creatures, in turn, invite the attention of larger fish and molluscs creating a thriving fishy community. Old, dead leaves also wash ashore or deeper into the ocean where their “ride-along guests” are used as food by other organisms.
Good indepth (no pun intended) examination of seegrass. Thank you.
How & Where within in the Seagrass ecosystem do the bivalves live? Does their reproductive cycle include finding and colonizing the seagrass from substrate to sea surface?
A delightful look at something I never really thought about before.