MarineConserva,onScience&PolicyCurriculum–2012,2015DeeringEstate.Allrightsreserved.1

FocusQuestionWhatareseagrasses?Whatanimalsliveinthishabitatandwhatservicesdoesitprovide?Howcanwebetterprotectthisenvironment?

ObjectivesStudents will discover special features of seagrass and explore the coastal ecosystemof theseagrassmeadow,Studentswilllearnto:

• Identifyfeaturesofseagrassmeadowsandanimalsthatliveinthishabitat.• Analyzetheimportanceofthisecosystemandelaboratewaystoprotectit.• Work in small groups to form a vocabulary alphabet demonstrating knowledge of

seagrassmeadows.Thiswillbeaproject-basedlearningmoduleinwhichthestudentswillworkinsmallgroupstopresentavisualrepresentationofthishabitat,discussingitsimportanceandwaystoprotectit.

BackgroundSeagrassesare submergedaquaticplantsthatgrowonthebayfloor,with long,thin,

grass-like leavescoveringpartsoftheoceanfloortoformseagrassmeadows.Despitepopularmisconception, seagrasses are not seaweeds; seagrasses are actuallymore closely related toflowering terrestrial plants and belong to a group of plants that includes grasses, lilies andpalms. Like their terrestrial relatives, seagrassesproduce seeds, roots, stems, fruit, veinsandleaves and are the only flowering plants beneath the sea. In contrast, seaweeds have noflowersorveins,andtheirrootsmerelyanchorratherthanabsorbnutrients.Thesesimilaritiestolandplantsanddifferenceswithseaweedsleadscientiststosuggestthatseagrassesevolvedfromalgaetolandplantsandthentransitionedbacktotheseaover100millionyearsago.1

SeagrassesusephotosynthesistoharnesstheSun’senergytoconvertcarbondioxideandwaterintosugarandoxygen,whichtheyuseforenergy.Theirrootsalsoabsorbnutrientsfrom the sediment of the ocean floor and act as anchors securing them to the bottom.Seagrasses also have tiny air pockets in the leaves to keep thembuoyant, and to exchangegasesthroughouttheplant.Becauseseagrassesusephotosynthesistocreateenergy,theyaretheprimaryproducersandbasisofmanymarinefoodwebs,supportingdiverseecosystems.

Seagrasses can reproduce through sexual reproduction, the fertilization of a femaleplantbymalepollen,andclonalgrowth.Asexual clonal growth iswhenseagrasses,similartoterrestrialgrasses,sendroot-likerhizomesoutsidewaystoproducenewshoots,sothatentireseagrassmeadowscanactuallybeconnectedstemswiththegeneticcodeofonlyafewplants.The oldest known plant is a clonal growth in the Mediterranean of the seagrass Posidiniaoceanica,whichdatesbacktothelasticeagesatover200,000yearsold.1

Seagrassesonlygrowinthephoticzone,theshallowoceandepthswhereenoughlightpenetrates for photosynthesis. There are 72 distinct species of seagrasses found in salty orbrackishwater,usuallyalonggentlyslopingcoastlinesthataresomewhatprotectedfromthe

MarineConservationScience&Policy:SeaGrasses

GradeLevel:

4th–12thSubjectAreaScienceBiologyDuration1.5Hrs

BodyofKnowledgeLifeScienceNatureofSciencePhysicalScience

BigIdeaOrganizationandDevelopmentofLivingOrganisms.ThePracticeofScience

StandardsSC.K.N.1.1Collaboratewithapartnertocollectinformation.SC.K.N.1.4Observeandcreateavisualrepresentationofanobject.SC.8.G.5.2Describetheimpactofhumanmodificationsontheenvironmentandecosystems.SC.912L.17.16Discussthelarge-scaleenvironmentalimpactsresultingfromhumanactivity.

Benchmarks:

MarineConserva,onScience&PolicyCurriculum–2012,2015DeeringEstate.Allrightsreserved.2

Backgroundturbulence of battering waves. Some seagrasses are long, flat and ribbon-like while othersresemblespaghetti,fernsorpaddles,reachinglengthsof3inchesto35feet.SevenspeciesofseagrassarefoundinFlorida,includingturtlegrass,shoalgrass,manateegrass,widgeongrass,stargrass,paddle-grassandJohnson’sseagrass.3AllarefoundinBiscayneBay.

Seagrassmeadows are considered one of the most productive ecosystems in theworld; a single acre can produce over 10 million tons of biomass every year. The highproductivity provides indispensible feeding and nursery grounds for a myriad of organismsfoundingacomplexfoodweb,witha singleacre capableofhostinganestimated40,000fishand50,000,000invertebrates.2Seagrassbedssupportmanycrustaceans,snailsandfishspeciesbyprovidingaprotectingbuffer from strong currents, andareand essential food source forherbivores like the endangered manatee and green sea turtle. Additionally, seagrasses areknownas“thelungsofthesea”,producing10litersofoxygendailypermeterofseagrass.Theirstabilizingrootsalsoreduceerosionandprotectcoastlines.

Seagrassesalsoprovideeconomicalbenefits.Forover10,000yearshumanshaveusedseagrassestofertilizefields, insulatehomes,fillmattresses,makebandages,thatchroofs,andas source of food. In Florida alone, seagrasses support the commercial fish and shellfishharvest, earningover$124billionannually.2 Estimatesvalueanacreof seagrass in Floridaat$20,500,whileanacreofcorn incomparisonearns$373.Despitetheextraordinaryeconomicandecologiccontributionsofseagrassmeadows,thisvitalhabitatfacesmanythreats.

Seagrassesendurenaturalpressuressuchasstorms,excessivegrazinganddisease,butthis valuableecosystemalso suffers fromhuman threats. Becauseof their coastalproximity,seagrassbedsareespeciallyvulnerableto runoffpollutionfromurbanandagriculturalareas,carrying contaminants such as pesticides, household chemicals, oils, automotive wastes,fertilizers and other chemical and debris. This excess leads to algae blooms, which depleteoxygensuppliesandsmotherseagrasses,causingmassivedie-offs.Dredgingandpropscarringalsotearupmeadows,leavingopenspacesthattakeyearstoregrow.

Unfortunately,theworldislosinganestimated1.5%ofseagrassesannually,orabout2football fields every hour, disappearing faster than the rainforest. To protect this valuablehabitat,SouthFloridaislimitingharmfulfishingpractices,reducingdredgingandtrawling,anddecreasing runoff. Some simple steps that everyone can take to protect seagrass meadowsinclude:limitpesticideandfertilizeruse;don’tlitter;don’tdumptoxicsubstancesdowndrainsasdrains;goslowandavoidshallowareaswhenboating,orpoleoffseagrassmeadowsratherthanusingtheengine;educateothers;andsupport localconservationeffortsbydonatingandvolunteering. If everyone contributes and practices environmental stewardship, andparticipates in restoration efforts, the globally vital seagrass habitats will be protected forfuturegenerations.

SupplementalResources1-“IndianRiverSeagrassHabitats.”SmithsonianMarineStation.http://www.sms.si.edu/IRLspec/Seagrass_Habitat.htm2-“Seagrass.”FloridaDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection.http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/habitats/seagrass/3-VirtualTour:TheSeagrassHabitat.OdysseyEarth.hgp://www.odysseyearth.com/videos/the-seagrass-habitat/

Vocabulary:

Seagrass:Angiosperms,floweringplantsthatgrowsubmergedinsaltyandbrackishwaters,formingmeadowsthatsupportacomplexfoodweb.

Photosynthesis:Theprocessbywhichplantsproduceenergybyconvertingcarbondioxide,hydrogenandothernutrientsintosimplecarbohydrates,releasingoxygenasaby-product.

ClonalGrowth:Thereproductionprocessthatsendroot-likerhizomesoutsidewaystoproducenewshoots,usedbyterrestrialandseagrasses

SeagrassMeadows:Highlyproductivecoastalecosystemsformedbydensegrowthsofseagrassandsupportingthousandsoforganismsfromshrimptoseaturtles.

FoodWeb:Thenaturaloverlappinginterconnectionsbetweenfoodchainsinanecosystem,includingprimaryproducers,consumersanddecomposers.PropScarring:Damagetoseagrassmeadowsandothercoastalecosystemsbyboatpropellers;thesescarscantakeyearstorecoverandcanbeavoidedbyresponsibleboating.

EnvironmentalStewardshipTheresponsibleuseandprotectionofthenaturalenvironmentthroughconservationandsustainablepractices.

MarineConserva,onScience&PolicyCurriculum–2012,2015DeeringEstate.Allrightsreserved.3

SeagrassAlphabetMaterials

• Indexcardsorpaperofsimilarsize• Coloringutensils(crayons,markersorcoloredpencils)• Penorpencil• Tape

Procedure

1. Dividethestudentsintofourgroups;assigntwogroupssixlegersofthealphabetandtwogroupssevenlegersofthealphabetsothattogethertheymakethefullalphabet.

2. Usinganindexcardforeachletter,studentswillwritearelevantwordfromtoday’slessonbeginningwitheachletter(i.e.G=GreenSeaTurtle)

3. Oneachword’sindexcard,studentswilldefinetheword,connectittotoday’slessonanddrawarepresentation.(i.e.Thegreenseaturtleisalargemarinereptilethatisendangered.Theyaretheonlyherbivorousseaturtlesandliketograzeonseagrasses.)

4. Eachgroupwillpresenttheirlettersinorderofthealphabet,tapingeachindexcardontheboardoraroundtheroom.Highlighttheinterconnectionsbetweenalloftheseseagrassorganismsandconductaclassdiscussionontheimportanceofthiscomplexecosystem.

WorksheetAnswerKey

1. Photosynthesis2. Roots3. Producers4. Pollu,on5. Seagrass6. Clonalgrowth7. Flower8. Seagrassmeadow9. Greenseaturtle10. Environmentalstewardship11. Economic12. Consumers13. Propscar14. Antarc,ca15. Lungs16. Habitat17. Manatee

Seagrass:Angiosperms,floweringplantsthatgrowsubmergedinsaltyandbrackishwaters,formingmeadowsthatsupportacomplexfoodweb.

SeagrassMeadows:Highlyproductivecoastalecosystemsformedbydensegrowthsofseagrassandsupportingthousandsoforganismsfromshrimptoseaturtles.

EnvironmentalStewardshipTheresponsibleuseandprotectionofthenaturalenvironmentthroughconservationandsustainablepractices.

StudentswillfindacurrenteventrelatingtoseagrassmeadowsinBiscayneBay(orFlorida)andsummarizethearticle,reflectingonthestatusofthelocalseagrassandcurrentthreats.Studentswillcompletetheseagrassworksheetinclassandwriteareflectiveparagraphonwhatserviceslocalseagrassmeadowsprovidesforthem,andhowtheycandotohelpprotectlocalseagrassmeadows.

ExtensionActivity:

Assessment:

Vocabulary:

ProgramPartner:

MarineConserva,onScience&PolicyCurriculum–2012,2015DeeringEstate.Allrightsreserved.4

MSCP

Across Down2.Thispartoftheseagrasshelpsabsorbnutrientsandanchorsit 1.ProcessthatplantsusetocreateenergyfromtheSun5.Seagrassesarenotrelatedtothemarineplants 3.Seagrassesareprimary_______inthefoodweb7.Seagrassesaretheonlymarineplantsthatproducethese 4.Contaminationthatcomesfromrunoff,dumpingandlittering10.Theresponsibleuseandprotectionoftheenvironment 5.Grass-likefloweringplantsthatgrowinsaltyorbrackishwater12.Seagrassfoodwebssupportmany_______thatfeedonother 6.Typeofreproductionthatoccurswhensendoutroot-likeorganisms. Rhizomes13.Damagetoseagrassbymotorboats 8.Highlyproductiveecosystemformedbymarinefloweringplants14.Seagrassgrowsnearallcontinentsexceptthisone. 9.Thisreptileisanherbivorethatlovestograzeonseagrass15.Seagrassmeadowsarethe______oftheseabecausetheycreate 11.Seagrassmeadowshaveenormous__________valuebecausesomuchoxygen theycontributetothecommercialfishingindustry16.Seagrassmeadowsforanessential________formanycreatures17.Thisendangeredmammalgrazesonseagrass

WordBank

LungsManateeHabitatClonalGrowthRootFlowerProducersConsumersPollutionEconomicSeaweedGreenSeaTurtleSeagrassMeadowAntarcticaPhotosynthesisEnvironmentalStewardshipPropScarSeagrass

SeagrassMeadows

UsetheWordBankonthele0tocompletethecrosswordpuzzlebelow.