What is seagrass and how does it support marine ecosystems?

The Mediterranean is a mostly enclosed sea with warm, salty waters. In summer it is calm and layered, but in winter storms mix the waters and bring up nutrients. River inflows and upwelling can spark short blooms of life. Because it is cut off from the open ocean, it has many unique species but is very sensitive to change.

The Amazon River pours a vast flow of freshwater into the Atlantic, spreading over ocean depths of about 50 to 200 meters near the shelf. It carries nutrients that make the water cloudy but rich in life. Plankton blooms and drifting plant debris feed fish, crabs, and seabirds. Changing seasons and winds send bursts of food from land to sea across this wide, green plume. Most threatened by Coastal Pollution and Mangroove Destruction.

The Florida Keys are small islands of limestone surrounded by mangroves, seagrass, and coral reefs. These habitats together support turtles, manatees, fish, and birds. The Keys are a hotspot of tropical life and beauty. But they face threats from warming, rising seas, and pollution.

The Bay of Bengal Shelf lies off India and Bangladesh. Huge rivers like the Ganges bring in freshwater and nutrients. Monsoon rains spark plankton blooms that feed fish and people along the coast. But pollution and runoff put this rich sea under pressure.