The ‘charisma’ gap – shifting the perspective on seagrass meadows

written by: Bennath Chillingworth

 

Public concern can often drive for greater protection of marine habitats. However, public perceptions and
general awareness of seagrass meadows are lacking in comparison to other marine systems, and
they receive less attention in the media. Therefore, a lingering challenge for seagrass conservation is
public unfamiliarity. For example, the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) is famous
for its coral reefs, but a lesser-known fact is that the area also hosts one of the world’s largest
seagrass meadows!

Seagrass meadows have repeatedly been described as ‘uncharismatic’ compared to coastal habitats such as coral reefs, and it is thought that this might have implications for their protection.

Indeed, while coral reefs are often a point of attraction for many tourists, seagrasses are sometimes actively
removed as they seemingly disrupt the ‘pristine’ aesthetic of white sandy beaches and turquoise
waters.

While it is no bad thing that coral reefs receive so much attention (and rightly they should!) – I ask
myself, why is it that seagrasses might be perceived as ‘uncharismatic’ or ‘less worthy’ of protection
than the reef? The general personification of a marine ecosystem as ‘charismatic’ might seem rather
strange, but it made me question – What makes an ecosystem more or less charismatic than
another? In fact, what makes an ecosystem ‘charismatic’ at all?

The ‘charisma-gap’ simply highlights a disconnect between scientific information and the public, but more importantly, reflects the value of improving this communication to better inform people about seagrass ecosystems.

Some ‘charismatic’ facts about seagrasses:

• The presence of seagrass meadows increases habitat complexity and provides a source of food and shelter for other animals.
•  Seagrasses support much higher biodiversity than unvegetated areas, attracting rare and beautiful marine creatures e.g., the Dugong (sea cow), green sea turtles, as well as endangered seahorses.
• They slow down water movement, aiding in coastal protection.
• Seagrass plays a crucial role in climate change mitigation through the long-term storage of carbon in their
  roots and sediments.
• Support nursery grounds for baby fish and invertebrates, which seek refuge in seagrass meadows and go on to complete their adult lives on adjacent coral reefs.
• Act as water filters by trapping harmful microbes and pollutants, preventing the spread of waterborne diseases.

Read more about why protecting seagrass is vital to building resilience to climate change.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ‘charisma’ gap – might be more important than we think, 

and shifting the perspective on seagrass meadows, could lead to positive change. 

A new seagrass discovery that made a lot of recent media headlines is – “The Largest Plant on Earth”
which has been found off the Western Australian coast in Shark Bay. Researchers had been trying to
estimate the number of plants that made up this meadow – and the answer? JUST ONE! Over the
last four millennia, a single seagrass seed has expanded 180km across Shark Bay, now covering an
area three times the size of Manhattan – officially crowned the world’s largest plant!

Why not share this fun fact with friends and family to help spread some seagrass charisma!

 

Wanna have more interesting reads about the importance of reef systems, how you can help them from home, and how you can travel with minimal impact? Visit our blog page for weekly updates!

 

The ‘charisma’ gap – shifting the perspective on seagrass meadows