Mapping Seagrass in Africa: 2 Million Square Kilometers Uncovered
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📰 The quick summary: A major mapping initiative is documenting seagrass meadows across 2 million square kilometers of the Western Indian Ocean, helping protect vital marine habitats that store massive amounts of carbon.
📈 One key stat: Seagrass meadows store over 90% of Seychelles’ blue carbon, revealing their outsized role in marine carbon sequestration.
💬 One key quote: “Currently, there is no standardized seagrass map for the [Western Indian Ocean] region, and the ecosystem is not widely included in management or policy,” says Stacy Baez from Pew’s coastal wetlands conservation campaign.
1️⃣ The big picture: Scientists are undertaking an ambitious effort to map seagrass meadows across Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar, covering 2 million square kilometers of ocean. This Large-scale Seagrass Mapping and Management Initiative (LaSMMI) aims to document these vital but often overlooked marine habitats that store significant amounts of carbon and support important fisheries. The project builds on successful mapping work in Seychelles that revealed seagrass areas store over 90% of that nation’s marine carbon. Less than one-fifth of the world’s seagrasses are currently mapped, leaving major gaps in understanding these ecosystems.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Mapping these extensive seagrass meadows creates a foundation for protecting critical marine habitats that serve multiple vital functions. The meadows store massive amounts of carbon, support one-fifth of the world’s major fisheries, and help protect shorelines from erosion. Having detailed maps enables better marine conservation planning and allows countries to include seagrass carbon storage in their national climate commitments. The initiative also builds regional scientific capacity through collaboration between international and local research organizations.
3️⃣ What’s next: The LaSMMI team aims to complete comprehensive seagrass maps and baseline carbon stock assessments by 2026. This data helps countries like Seychelles incorporate seagrass carbon into national inventories and climate plans. The maps also support developing targeted conservation strategies to protect these habitats from threats like coastal development, water pollution, and fishing gear damage.
Read the full story here: Mongabay – From Kenya to Madagascar, massive effort aims to put seagrasses on the map
