Posidonia Seagrass Meadows
The Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica forms meadows that are thousands of years old and store carbon in the seafloor (CEAB-CSIC).
Image: NASA (iss071e207494).
Last reviewed: 2 sources cited
Explain Like I'm 10
- Posidonia is a sea grass that grows under the Mediterranean Sea.
- Some patches have been growing for more than 2,000 years.
- They hold carbon in the sand and give baby fish a safe home.
The Five W's of Posidonia Seagrass Meadows
Who
A Flowering plants that grow underwater in shallow seas, forming meadows that shelter animals and store carbon. Glossary, Posidonia oceanica, studied by Spanish scientists at CEAB-CSIC and others.
Source: CEAB-CSIC, The Illetes Posidonia meadow is over 2,000 years old
What
Underwater meadows of a slow-growing plant that spreads by cloning itself.
Source: PLOS ONE, Millenary clones in meadows of Posidonia oceanica
When
The Illetes meadow off Mallorca has been growing for about 2,355 years.
Source: CEAB-CSIC, The Illetes Posidonia meadow is over 2,000 years old
Where
The Mediterranean Sea, including the Balearic Islands of Spain.
Source: PLOS ONE, Millenary clones in meadows of Posidonia oceanica
Why
Meadows trap carbon in the Sand, mud and gravel carried by water that settles on river beds, lake bottoms and beaches. Glossary beneath them and shelter sea life, but they are threatened.
Source: CEAB-CSIC, The Illetes Posidonia meadow is over 2,000 years old
Impact Statement
Natural solution · active
Some Posidonia clones may stretch up to 15 km and be thousands of years old, making them among the oldest living things on Earth.
Source: PLOS ONE, Millenary clones in meadows of Posidonia oceanica
For Further Information: CEAB-CSIC, The Illetes Posidonia meadow is over 2,000 years old
A Posidonia seagrass meadow off Mallorca has been growing for about 2,355 years.
How This Saves People & the Planet
For People
Meadows protect beaches from erosion and give nursery habitat to fish that coastal communities depend on.
Source: CEAB-CSIC, The Illetes Posidonia meadow is over 2,000 years old
For Nature
Over centuries, meadows bury carbon in the seafloor, keeping it out of the air.
Source: CEAB-CSIC, The Illetes Posidonia meadow is over 2,000 years old
Want to go deeper? CEAB-CSIC has the full Posidonia story.
For Further InformationRelated Solutions
More solutions like this one, matched by meaning.
For Teachers
Discussion questions
- What is Posidonia Seagrass Meadows, and what problem does it help solve?
- Who is behind Posidonia Seagrass Meadows, and where does the work happen?
- How does Posidonia Seagrass Meadows help both people and nature? Use one fact from this page.
Sources are listed with each fact in the Five W's above.
Cite This Page
APA
Saving Planets. (n.d.). Posidonia Seagrass Meadows. https://www.savingplanets.com/Posidonia_Meadows.html
MLA
"Posidonia Seagrass Meadows." Saving Planets, https://www.savingplanets.com/Posidonia_Meadows.html.