Green Beneath the Waves: A Dive into Seagrass Habitats

Did you know that seagrass and seaweed are not the same thing? Seaweed, like kelp and the floating sargassum we are overly familiar with here in Florida are not true plants, they are macroalgae. They lack specialized features like roots and the ability to flower. Seagrasses, on the other hand, are flowering plants that are more closely related to lilies and orchids than grasses. They have roots, stems, leaves, and produce flowers, seeds, and pollen. Seagrasses grow in shallow, coastal waters in groups called meadows or beds and are critically important to the health of our coastal waters. Seagrass beds serve many functions like nursery habitat for invertebrates and baby fish, including snapper and stone crab.

Seagrasses are also important carbon and nutrient sinks that produce large amounts of oxygen through photosynthesis. By rooting into the sediment, they stabilize the bottom; a healthy bed of seagrass helps trap fine particles and absorbs excess nutrients from the surrounding water. Not only do these seagrasses play a critical role in the health of the oceans and in generating oxygen for the planet but they are food for some our most beloved animals – manatees and green turtles. Both feed almost exclusively on different types of seagrasses and are challenged by the rapid loss of seagrass in our coastal areas.

These rapid losses are happening because all marine ecosystems are delicately balanced, and too many nutrients can be detrimental. Just like our lawns, seagrass beds need some organic fertilizer, but they can be harmed if the nutrients are too abundant. Instead of helping the seagrasses to grow, the excess nutrients feed microscopic algae causing massive blooms in the water column. This makes the water murky and prevents sunlight from penetrating to the seafloor; ultimately starving the seagrasses of energy they need to grow and thrive. 

Currently, excess nutrients in our coastal waters are not from natural sources but rather from runoff associated with agriculture and urban areas combined with the seepage of waste from failing septic systems and aged wastewater pipes. These pollution pathways are leading to more frequent and severe algal explosions in our nearshore waters and ocean ecosystems – causing massive seagrass die offs. This starts a vicious cycle – as seagrass beds die, the sediment their roots held together becomes loose and gets stirred up by waves.  This worsens the water clarity and makes restoration of these habitats challenging.

As Loggerhead Marina boaters there are some simple steps you can take to help us at Loggerhead Marinelife Center to protect our coastal seagrass beds. First is through responsible boating: Go Slow for Those Below! To help protect sea turtles and other marine life, travel at the minimum speed needed for safe navigation. This also reduces your risk of running your boat onto shallow seagrass beds that could cause scars in the sediment and take years to recover. When choosing a place to anchor, look for a sandy patch rather than grass as anchors tear seagrasses out at the roots. Second, reduce fertilizer use at home and fertilize only in the dry season. Plant native trees and landscape that do well in the local environment. Lastly, support responsible local watershed management including septic to sewer infrastructure upgrades and low-impact development and green infrastructure projects. As someone that enjoys life out on the ocean, in the Intracoastal Waterway, or any number of bays and harbors you see the bounty of what seagrasses provide. Be good stewards and help us protect these incredible coastal ecosystems.

Andy Dehart

President & CEO

Loggerhead Marinelife Center

Better boater tips:

simple steps to protect our coastal seagrass beds

  • Travel at the minimum speed needed for safe navigation and to avoid scarring shallow seagrass beds
  • Look for a sandy patch when anchoring rather than grass as anchors tear seagrasses out at the roots.
  • Reduce fertilizer use at home and fertilize only in the dry season. Plant native trees and landscape that do well in the local environment.
  • Support responsible local watershed management including septic to sewer infrastructure upgrades and low-impact development and green infrastructure projects.

Green Beneath the Waves: A Dive into Seagrass Habitats

Did you know that seagrass and seaweed are not the same thing? Seaweed, like kelp and the floating sargassum we are overly familiar with here in Florida are not true plants, they are macroalgae. They lack specialized features like roots and the ability to flower. Seagrasses, on the other hand, are flowering plants that are more closely related to lilies and orchids than grasses. They have roots, stems, leaves, and produce flowers, seeds, and pollen. Seagrasses grow in shallow, coastal waters in groups called meadows or beds and are critically important to the health of our coastal waters. Seagrass beds serve many functions like nursery habitat for invertebrates and baby fish, including snapper and stone crab.

Seagrasses are also important carbon and nutrient sinks that produce large amounts of oxygen through photosynthesis. By rooting into the sediment, they stabilize the bottom; a healthy bed of seagrass helps trap fine particles and absorbs excess nutrients from the surrounding water. Not only do these seagrasses play a critical role in the health of the oceans and in generating oxygen for the planet but they are food for some our most beloved animals – manatees and green turtles. Both feed almost exclusively on different types of seagrasses and are challenged by the rapid loss of seagrass in our coastal areas.

These rapid losses are happening because all marine ecosystems are delicately balanced, and too many nutrients can be detrimental. Just like our lawns, seagrass beds need some organic fertilizer, but they can be harmed if the nutrients are too abundant. Instead of helping the seagrasses to grow, the excess nutrients feed microscopic algae causing massive blooms in the water column. This makes the water murky and prevents sunlight from penetrating to the seafloor; ultimately starving the seagrasses of energy they need to grow and thrive. 

Currently, excess nutrients in our coastal waters are not from natural sources but rather from runoff associated with agriculture and urban areas combined with the seepage of waste from failing septic systems and aged wastewater pipes. These pollution pathways are leading to more frequent and severe algal explosions in our nearshore waters and ocean ecosystems – causing massive seagrass die offs. This starts a vicious cycle – as seagrass beds die, the sediment their roots held together becomes loose and gets stirred up by waves.  This worsens the water clarity and makes restoration of these habitats challenging.

As Loggerhead Marina boaters there are some simple steps you can take to help us at Loggerhead Marinelife Center to protect our coastal seagrass beds. First is through responsible boating: Go Slow for Those Below! To help protect sea turtles and other marine life, travel at the minimum speed needed for safe navigation. This also reduces your risk of running your boat onto shallow seagrass beds that could cause scars in the sediment and take years to recover. When choosing a place to anchor, look for a sandy patch rather than grass as anchors tear seagrasses out at the roots. Second, reduce fertilizer use at home and fertilize only in the dry season. Plant native trees and landscape that do well in the local environment. Lastly, support responsible local watershed management including septic to sewer infrastructure upgrades and low-impact development and green infrastructure projects. As someone that enjoys life out on the ocean, in the Intracoastal Waterway, or any number of bays and harbors you see the bounty of what seagrasses provide. Be good stewards and help us protect these incredible coastal ecosystems.

Andy Dehart

President & CEO

Loggerhead Marinelife Center

Homemade Delights: Cherry Cobbler Muffins & Apple Carrot Dog Treats

If you didn’t get enough sweet treats from the holiday season, then you’re in luck!


Cherry Cobbler Muffins

Ingredients:

Muffin mix
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs
¼ cup salted butter, melted and cooled
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup milk
21 ounce can cherry pie filling, divided

Streusel Topping:

¼ cup, salted butter, cold and cut into cubes
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with parchment paper muffin liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat or whisk together eggs, melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. Dump the dry ingredients into the egg/milk mixture and stir gently, just until combined. Do not overmix. Transfer ½ (about 1 cup) of the canned cherry pie filling to a strainer and rinse the pie filling from the cherries. Allow to drain completely. Toss the rinsed cherries in the remaining tablespoon of flour. Then fold into muffin batter, stirring just until cherries are distributed. Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. From the remainder of the cherry pie filling can, drop 2 to 3 cherries over the top of the muffins along with a small amount of pie filling. In a small bowl use your fingers or a fork to mix butter, flour, baking powder, sugar, and cinnamon until crumbles form. Mix heavy cream into the butter/flour mixture. Sprinkle streusel over the top of the cherries and muffin batter. Bake approximately 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of muffins comes out with only a few crumbles. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove muffins from the pan onto a cooling rack. Serve warm.

Apple Carrot Dog Biscuits (makes 12-24 biscuits based on size of cookie cutter)

Recipe from reluctantentertainer.com

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ cup oats (gluten-free or regular)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 apple, cored and grated
½ cup carrots, peeled and grated
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil
¼ – ½ cup water

Instructions:

Mix the dry ingredients together. In separate bowl, beat the egg and mix in the oil, water, and grated apples and carrots. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix completely. Carefully roll out dough and cut into shapes with a small cookie cutter. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until biscuits are firm.

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No Gear Needed: 4 Games to Play on the Waves

a few games that require little to no supplies

Twenty Questions

This tried-and-true pastime doesn’t have to be saved for road trips!

To play Twenty Questions, one player (who will be “it” for the round) will think of a person, place, thing, or animal. The other players will take turns asking yes or no questions to determine what the secret answer is, but they can only ask 20 questions in total. If the other players can guess the secret answer, they win, but if they can’t, the person who is “it” does!

Tag-team stories

In this game, you and your group are working together to write a fictional story. Each player is responsible for keeping the story moving forward, adding a sentence when it’s their turn.

For example, if player one begins with “It was a warm, sunny day.”, the next could continue with, “Our family was having a picnic at our favorite park” and the following might create a twist such as, “Suddenly, the wind picked up and it began to snow.”

The possibilities are endless when it comes to what direction your stories will take on, and you’re sure to come up with some unexpected plot points!

Got It

There’s no limit to how many people can play Got It at once, though the more players you have the more exciting the game will be!

Two players each think of a word. It can be anything – an animal, place, idea, action, you name it! When each player has their word in mind, they’ll say their words together on the count of three. Two new players will try to think of a word that connects the two words said by the first two players and will say them together on the count of three. If you’re playing in a large group, ask the players to shout out “Got it!” when they’ve come up with a word and are ready to play. This continues until two players land on the same word!

Picture This:

In this game, you and your group are each directing a music video. Turn on your favorite playlist and let your creativity fly visualizing what would be happening in your music video. Take turns painting the scene for your group and see how they compare to your fellow players.