Sea grasslands: What are, characteristics and animals

Sea prairies are submarine ecosystems formed by angiospermas plants adapted to strictly saline environments. These vascular plants are distributed by the oceans of almost everyone and currently some 66 species classified into 4 families. There are exclusively marine species such as those of Zosteraceae families, Posidoniaceae, Cymodoceaceae; and a family with both fresh and salted water species: Hydrocharitaceae.

The Marine angiosperms They present the following characteristics:

• Taxonomically belong to the monocotyledonous class.
• They are perennial, that is to say that they live more than two years.
• Most of them look like “grass.”
• They have a rhizomatous underground system.
• They develop in sandy, muddy or gyrusous funds.
• They live in shallow areas, since they must receive light for photosynthesize.
• Its reproduction can occur both vegetatively and sexually through the production of flowers and fruits.

Now that you know the qualities of the plants that form these peculiar “marine pastures” we know the characteristics of the marine meadows.

Here you can know more depth the angiosperms plants: what are, characteristics and examples.

Sea meadows can be formed by a single species of plants, that is, they are monospecific, or several species can live, transforming them into multispecific. Regardless of their training, they all have great importance at the ecological level:

• Primary producers: Being photosynthetic organisms are considered as valuable primary producers since they produce large concentrations of oxygen that are released to the surrounding environment. Here you can read this other article about producing organizations: what are and examples.
• Carbon fixation: When setting a large percentage of carbon dioxide continuously meet a fundamental role with respect to the Climate change mitigation: According to investigations, sea grasslands can capture and store carbon in their deep roots kidnapping approximately 10% of the ocean carbon.
• Light availability: The leaves of marine angiosperms capture sediments thus regulating the turbidity of the water, which allows light to reach greater depth and create an environment conducive to the development of marine bed organisms.
• Coast protection: By cushioning the movement of water and retaining particles in their roots and rhizomes systems, they reduce the erosion of the coasts.
• Bioindicators: Being sessile and perennial organisms are sensitive to environmental changes, such as the environmental quality of the coasts or pressures by the human being. Know more about bioindicators: what are, types and examples.
• Refuge and reproduction of fauna: Sea prairies provide refuge sites to certain species of animals, since many are hidden in this way. In turn, they use these areas as reproduction and breeding sites, and, some migratory birds, rest and feed there.

Sea prairies have a great diversity of organisms that, as mentioned above, use these sites in order to feed, reproduce and take care of their young. Some of the most frequent organisms of finding are the following:

VERTEBRATES OF THE MARINE PRADERAS

• Fish: The fish constitute the most important aquatic macrophauna of marine meadows due to diversity, space-time distribution and abundance they present. In the “marine pastures” there is usually a lot of fish of different classes and ages, although, there is generally a greater presence of youthful and immature individuals. Within the fish there is a family: Syngnathidae, to which the seahorses belong, species that can also be observed in the grasslands. Here you can better know the classification of the fish.
• Turtles: adult turtles specifically from the species Chelonia Mydas (Green turtle) are associated with sea meadows since they feed on these marine pastures. In this other post we tell you more about what the sea turtles eat.
• Manaties: Manatees are placental mammals that pass a large amount of time feeding on the meadows, since marine pastures constitute their main source of food.

Invertebrates of the marine meadows

• Sea stars: The sea stars belong to the Equinodermos edge and is one of the most commonly known groups that lives at the bottom of the sea. They feed mainly on benthic invertebrates and usually have five arms, although other species may have more: if they are damaged or lost, they can be regenerated. Learn more about sea star: characteristics, reproduction and taxonomy reading this other article.
• Hired hewls: Like the sea stars, they belong to the Equinodermos edge. The hedgehogs move on the substrate slowly through mobile feet and thorns and some species of them have spikes that if the tires can cause you a great pain and burning. In this link you can learn more about the types of sea urchins.
• Gastropods: Commonly known as marine snails, gastropods are the class inside the most extensive mollusc edge that exists. They have a unique spiral shell that, in some species such as sea slugs, is reduced. They can be herbivores, detritivorous and even carnivores. We tell you more about what gastropods are: types and characteristics.
• Bivalve: Like the gastropods belong to the mollusc edge and are called in this way by having two generally symmetrical and united valves. They feed on the water and some species can be buried in the substrate. The best known examples in this class are oysters, clams and mussels.
• Cephalopods: Another class of marine invertebrates is cephalopods, for example: octopus, squid and sepias. Cephalopods have a mouthpiece with a powerful structure that allows them to tear their prey and, in addition, are formed by cells with pigments capable of changing color according to the environment, which allows them to mimic.
• Crustaceans: The crustaceans are a large subfilus of arthropods of which the crabs, lobsters, prawns, shrimp, among others are part. It has been discovered that these invertebrates are able to carry out the pollination of marine angiosperms belonging to the grasslands. These tiny animals feed on the pollen grains of the stamens of the male flowers and take them to the stigmas of the female flowers.

If you liked to discover what sea grasslands or marine pastures are, we recommend you read about seabed: what are types and photos and marine biology: what is and importance.

If you want to read more articles similar to Sea grasslands: What are, characteristics and animalswe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.