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Seagrasses

Seagrasses

Seagrasses are flowering plants that grow in marine, fully-saline environments. They are called seagrasses because the leaves are long and narrow and are very often green, and because the plants often grow in large "meadows" that look like grassland. Seagrass meadows are one type of ocatsal; wetland, that is often found in association with coral reefs.

CMap

Carbon storage and cycling is the ability of an ecosystem to utilize, process, and store carbon. Climate regulation is the process by which ecosystems process and store carbon, which can modulate atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide. Coastal Development is the construction of infrastructure, buildings, homes, and roads in coastal communities. Complex habitat and resources reflects the complex architecture of sessile, plant-like organisms, such as octocoral and sponges, which provides shelter and protection for small fish and other invertebrates from predators. Contact Uses, such as biological additions, physical damage, and biological harvesting, are activities in which humans create pressures through direct contact with the ecosystem. Cultural services are the nonmaterial benefits people obtain from ecosystems through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, recreational opportunities, aesthetic experiences, sense of place, and educational and research opportunities. Discharge limitations are responses to regulate and control the discharge of pollutants and the use of chemicals. Discharges are the intentional or unintentional distribution of chemicals, debris, or other pollution, into the environment as a consequence of human activities. Ecosystem monitoring and restoration refers to responses to directly alter the condition of the reef ecosystem through restoration or remediation activities, setting limits on degradation through biological criteria or water quality criteria, or improving knowledge through monitoring, mapping, and scientific research. Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems . Fish are cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates that breathe through gills and usually have scales. An Invertebrate is any animal that lacks a backbone. Landscape Changes are alterations of the natural landscape through human activities, including coastal development, shoreline armoring, impervious surfaces, deforestation, or soil disturbance, which can alter water flow patterns and lead to pollutant runoff into coastal systems. Landuse management pertains to responses that determine the use of land for development and construction. Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics � mainly between latitudes 25� N and 25� S. Nutrient and contaminant processing refers to an ecosystem's ability to process and cycle contaminants and nutrients through its system. The Reef Ecosystem includes a suite of abiotic variables that form the physical and chemical environment. Physical Damage to reef habitat and wetlands can occur from vessel groundings, dredging, trampling, boat movement, anchor drops, trawling, and fishing gear. Pressures are human activities that create stress on the environment. Provisioning services are the products or ecosystem goods obtained from ecosystems, including seafood, genetic and biochemical resources, pharmaceuticals, ornamental resources, and water resources. The state of the Reef Ecosystem is the condition, in terms of quantity and quality, of the abiotic and biotic components including physical, chemical, and biological variables. Reef Habitat is the abundance, distribution, and condition of the benthic components of the reef ecosystem. Reef Inhabitants are all of the motile components of the reef ecosystem, including fish, invertebrates, marine reptiles and mammals, and are quantified by their abundance, distribution, and condition. Reef Life is the abundance, distribution, and condition of the biological components of the coral reef ecosystem. Regulating Services are benefits obtained from ecosystem processes that regulate the environment, including erosion regulation, natural hazard regulation, and climate regulation. Resource use management pertains to responses to regulate or limit contact activities that may directly impact coastal species through harvesting or physical damage. Responses are actions taken by groups or individuals in society and government to prevent, compensate, ameliorate or adapt to changes in Ecosystem Services or their perceived value. Seagrasses are flowering plants that grow in marine, fully-saline environments. Shoreline armoring is the construction of bulkheads, seawalls, riprap or any other structure used to harden a shoreline against erosion. Shoreline Protection is the attenuation of wave energy by reefs that protects coastal communities against shoreline erosion and flooding during storms, hurricanes, and tsunamis that can cause property damage and loss of life. Socio-Economic Drivers include the sectors that fulfill human needs for Food & Raw Materials, Water, Shelter, Health, Culture, and Security, and the Infrastructure that supports the sectors. Supporting services are ecological processes that indirectly benefit humans by maintaining a functional ecosystem for the production of other ecosystem goods and services. A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with moisture either permanently or seasonally.

CMap Description

Coastal wetlands provide essential nursery habitat for many species of reef fish and invertebrates. Wetlands can alter seawater flow through wave energy attenuation, providing calm waters that may enhance recruitment of larval fish and invertebrates, in additional to protecting coastal communities from flooding or erosion. Wetlands provide nutrients to reefs through the transport of materials, through fish or water movement, between the ecosystems. Nutrient and contaminant processing by wetlands can improve water quality. Many of the same socio-economic sectors that benefit from wetland ecosystem goods and services also create pressures on wetlands that indirectly impact nearby reefs. Wetlands may be filled, drained, or dredged to create land for buildings or channels for ship traffic. Point-source discharges or non-point source run-off can lead to inputs of nutrients, sediment, or toxic chemicals into coastal waters. Monitoring, mapping, and scientific research can be used to better understand changes in wetland condition, bio-physical processes, interactions among species, and how wetlands may be impacted by various stressors or potential decisions. Discharge limitations, dredging regulations, and land-use management can be implement to control pollution and reduce physical damage to wetlands. Wetlands may be restored or replaced by planting wetland grasses or mangrove trees or altering hydrology.

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