Characteristics

Seagrasses grow on the shallow bottoms of healthy bodies of water such as bays and estuaries. Though they are sometimes found in cooler water, seagrasses prefer warmer water and shallow sandy bottoms where plenty of sunshine can reach their leaves. Unlike kelp and other seaweeds, seagrasses are descended from terrestrial plants, which adapted to shallow non-rocky coastal waters.

Common types of seagrass are eelgrass, turtle grass, and widgeon grass. They are usually found along the Atlantic coast of North America, though some Alaskan estuaries are also known to have vast seagrass beds.

Some seagrasses reproduce by producing a flower that blooms underwater. Seeds from these flowers will spread through the water and settle on the nearby sandy bottom, producing more seagrasses. Another way they can reproduce is that their root-like structures (called rhizomes), which are buried just beneath the sandy bottom, can sprout new grass-like leaves.

Sea Life

Many kinds of creatures live among the seagrasses. The long blades are perfect for shelter from predators or a quiet place to leave their eggs. Many of the creatures that live among seagrass are very tiny and live directly on the long blades.

Eelgrass, one of the most common varieties of seagrass, is home to scallops, horseshoe crabs, snails, and many types of fish. Each strand of eelgrass is host to a wide variety of plants (epiphytes) and animals, or epizoa, which live directly on the surface of the blade.

Humans and the Environment

Although eelgrass and other seagrasses are not a direct source of food for humans, their presence is very important to the health of a marine estuary. Grasses provide shelter and nourishment to many different kinds of life and are valuable indicators of clean, clear water. In places where pollution has damaged or destroyed vibrant eelgrass beds, people are working hard to plant new grasses and establish these beds.

 

(Edited from source)