Eelgrass

Eelgrass is the common name for Zostera marina, a flowering marine plant in the family Zosteraceae. It is a seagrass that forms dense underwater meadows in shallow, sheltered coastal waters of temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere. Eelgrass is perennial, rooting in soft sediments with horizontal rhizomes that spread to create patches. Its slender leaves are linear and blade-like, typically up to about 60 centimeters long, growing from the rhizomes in clusters.

Eelgrass meadows provide habitat and food for a variety of marine organisms, including commercially important fish and invertebrates. The dense above- and below-ground structures stabilize sediments, reduce wave energy, and improve water clarity by trapping particulates. They also contribute to carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling, supporting coastal resilience and water quality.

Global eelgrass meadows have declined in many regions due to coastal development, dredging, sedimentation, eutrophication, and disease outbreaks such as those caused by the pathogen Labyrinthula. Warming waters and other climate-related changes can reduce productivity and meadow extent. Restoration efforts include transplantation of live shoots or seeds, often combined with improvements in water quality and sediment conditions, to reestablish native meadows.

Distribution includes temperate coastal areas of the North Atlantic and North Pacific, including parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. Eelgrass is used as an indicator species for coastal ecosystem health and is frequently a focus of conservation and restoration programs to maintain biodiversity, fisheries habitat, and ecosystem services.