Ocean Sentry
(From reuters.com) Genova – Seagrass meadows, which are vital for the survival of much marine life and a source of household materials in Europe and Africa, face a mounting threat from global warming, a report said on Friday. If much of it were to disappear, a wide range of species — including dugongs, sea turtles, sea urchins and seabirds who feed on it — would also come under increased threat, according to the report.
“Seagrass habitats are already declining due to increasing water temperatures, algae (seaweed) growth and light reduction, which are all effects of global change,” said IUCN specialist Mats Bjork, one of the authors of the report.
The report, from the Swiss-based International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), said the submerged meadows — many around the Mediterranean — could be saved through concerted action by governments and scientists.
The report said some of the healthiest seagrass areas known to exist today were off the North African coast of Libya and Tunisia in areas where there had been little industrial or tourism development.
