Key Ocean Specie Seagrass Mediterranean Retreated 50%

     Image Source and Courtesy Spanish National Research Council CSIC Spain -Posidonia oceanica

Mediterranean Seagrass -Posidonia oceanica focus of a new study of the Spanish National Research Council CSIC is reported to have retreated 50% in the past 20 years. The specie when grouped is considered among the largest organisms in the world -compared to Barrier Reefs. It also occupies 3% of the Mediterranean approximately and provides numerous values to the ecosystem. Contributes to carbon dioxide absorption, stabilizes the marine floors, prevent erosion and protect shores from hostile weather. Seagrass species can be found around the globe such as in Australia and US Florida where they serve as key nourishment for marine Turtles and Manatees. Seagrass populations around the World are also declining. 

The Seagrass of the Mediterranean Posidonia oceanica was also discovered in 2012 through a DNA sequence study to be the oldest living organism on Earth with over 200 thousand years of experience in ocean evolution. Today, the specie struggles just to make due.

ABC reported on June 18^th that the prairies of Posidonia in the occidental Mediterranean have been under regression since the second half of the XXst Century. CSIC evaluated 519 patches of the underground seagrass of which registers exist since 1842. Findings of the investigations were published in the Magazine Biological Conservation.

Retreat rates for the last half of the century were set at 13% to 38%. The remaining areas (non-registered) are estimated to have retreated 50% in the past 20 years.

“Posidonia oceanica, marine angiosperm endemic to the Mediterranean forms a coastal environment in this ocean and provides important ecosystem services, prairies take in carbon and stabilize sediment, avoid coastal erosion and increase biodiversity and living resources, “ Investigator of CSIC Nuria Marba of the Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats stated.

Referring to possible recovery rates and time-lapse Marba added that the “prairies…are millenary ecosystems which grow very slowly”. Rapid coastal development of the basin was attributed as a main cause of population loss.

The retreat is estimated by CSIC to have reduced the CO2 absorption made by the specie in 62% to 87% compared to CO2 intakes made by the population in 1960. Other impacts attributed to loss of the specie include water quality deterioration, coast protection weakening, ocean oscillation levels adaptation affected and increase of ocean acidification. Causes of loss were estimated in 67% direct human development, 30% eutrophication of water (algae bloom) and 39% diverse pressures.

Diverse regions of the world have declared seagrass environments as protected areas or Marine Reserves. The specie could also be cultivated in controlled environments in “man-made-artificial” programs to be later re-introduced into the affected environment. Coral reefs in decline around the world have taken to “artificial” coral to avoid declines, however, the “artificial” species must adapt to an impacted environment.

“This study indicates that it is necessary to implement measures of management and conservation for the mitigation of the coastal deterioration combined with local and global actions,” CSIC concludes and urges.