Seagrasses are crucial for marine ecosystems, offering shelter and food for marine animals, preventing sediment erosion, and sequestering carbon. Once spanning approximately 150 square kilometers in the Dutch Wadden Sea, seagrass meadows have nearly vanished, mirroring a global trend.
During the World Seagrass Conference in Naples, Italy, the BBC highlighted the work of ecologists Jeanine Olsen, Tjisse van der Heide, and Laura Govers from the University of Groningen in a mini-documentary.
Researchers and volunteers are seen using a modified caulking gun to inject a mix of mud and seagrass seeds into sediment at specific intervals. Additionally, biodegradable plastic structures are being utilized to anchor newly planted seagrasses, preventing them from washing away. These methods have yielded significant success, particularly in restoring intertidal seagrass meadows next to the small Wadden Island Griend.
Emeritus Professor of Molecular Ecology, Jeanine Olsen, is adopting a genomic approach to identify climate-resilient seagrass varieties. With climate change causing rising sea temperatures, seeds and plants for restoration projects are sometimes sourced from warmer regions. However, Olsen cautions against this simplistic solution, emphasizing the need for genetic compatibility. Olsen and her colleagues from Sweden, Germany, and the US are analyzing seagrass genomes to pinpoint specific genes associated with traits like temperature tolerance, salinity variation, and ocean acidification resilience. This genomic information ensures that the right plants are introduced to suitable environments, enhancing the chances of successful restoration.
One significant finding from Olsen's research is gene duplication in seagrass, which allows plants to 'experiment' with one gene while retaining the original, thus avoiding self-extinction. This discovery holds promise for developing seagrass varieties capable of thriving under changing environmental conditions.
Seagrass restoration has been a challenging endeavor, with efforts spanning decades. Seagrass benefits its environment by stabilizing sediment, trapping mud particles, dampening waves, and oxygenating sediment. These positive effects only manifest once a large meadow is established. Van der Heide notes that new seagrass plantings often fail because the necessary environmental benefits are not yet present, leading to plants being washed away.
Govers' seed injection method addresses this challenge by optimizing the depth and spacing of seed injection, resulting in higher success rates. This technique has gained international traction, with restoration projects in England, Wales, France, the US, and Australia adapting the method to their local conditions. While subtidal seagrass restoration remains less successful due to its perennial nature and greater reliance on environmental benefits, Van der Heide's biodegradable structures offer a promising solution by simulating the positive effects needed for initial establishment.
Van der Heide's recent grant will fund the development of new prototypes for seagrass restoration, including improved materials and shapes. Utilizing a second-hand robotic arm from a car factory, Van der Heide aims to combine industrial design with ecological expertise to enhance restoration efforts for seagrass, mussel beds, and salt marsh plants.
