What is it about?
Seagrass beds are known to reduce wave energy, making them a sustainable option for protecting coastlines from storms and floods. However, the importance of seagrass roots in preventing erosion has been debated. We conducted experiments and found that seagrass roots are very effective in reducing erosion rates in sandy sediments. This highlights the important role of seagrass roots in erosion mitigation, which has been overlooked compared to the role of canopies which has received more attention.
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Photo by Benjamin L. Jones on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Our study adds to the debate on the effectiveness of vegetated coastal ecosystems in reducing erosion, specifically focusing on the role of seagrass roots. We found that sediment type plays an important role in the ability of seagrass roots to mitigate erosion. Our results have practical implications for management strategies to enhance the stabilization of sandy sediment.
Perspectives
As a coastal ecosystem researcher, I find this study particularly interesting because it sheds light on the importance of seagrass roots in reducing erosion. This emphasizes the need to consider both above- and below-ground biomass when evaluating the effectiveness of vegetated coastal ecosystems for coastal protection. Our findings provide valuable insights for the management and restoration of seagrass beds for erosion mitigation.
Dr Eduardo Infantes
Goteborgs Universitet
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Seagrass roots strongly reduce cliff erosion rates in sandy sediments, Marine Ecology Progress Series, November 2022, Inter-Research Science Center,
DOI: 10.3354/meps14196.
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