What is Eelgrass?

Eelgrass is 1 of 60 species of seagrasses of the genus Zostera found in shallow coastal areas worldwide!

: Unimpacted bed in Nova Scotia. Photo by Allison Schmidt (click photo to link to her page!)

Since the time of the dinosaurs, three groups of flowering plants, or angiosperms, dominated the oceans. Known as seagrasses, these are the only flowering plants that can carry out their entire life cycle underwater. Seagrasses are not true grasses, such as those you would see growing in on land. However, because they grow in large meadows and move and sway with the currents, many species of seagrass look similar to land grasses and so have been called seagrasses.
If it’s not seaweed and not grass…what is it? Long ribbon-like blades, which give eelgrass its name, require much light to perform photosynthesis and are generally confined to water less than 8 feet deep but may occur at depths up to 100 feet or more in exceptionally clear water. Eelgrass is neither a true grass nor a seaweed, such as kelp, but a flowering plant that grows entirely submerged in water and has a stem, roots, and produces a seed.
And why should we care about it? Seagrasses are referred to as “ecosystem engineers” because they are able to create an entirely new habitat; once eelgrass is established many other species (juvenile fish, lobsters, and shellfish) that rely on this plant for food and habitat will also begin to inhabit the area.

Source: UNEP

Where Does Eelgrass Grow?

Eelgrass (Zostera Marina) grows in coastal waters worldwide from Alaska in the Northern Hemisphere all the way down to Australia in the Southern Hemisphere, in the Chesapeake Bay, off the coasts of Florida, California, and coastal areas of Europe and Asia. Eelgrass is found in estuarine and marine environments, such as estuaries, bays, and at entrance channels leading to the ocean. Most seagrasses live either completely submerged, but some are able to tolerate exposure during low tides. Seagrasses anchor to the sediment through roots and rhizomes; through the growth of the rhizomes and roots, they may form dense “beds” of individual plants.

Habitat Requirements

Seagrasses are found in estuarine and marine environments, such as estuaries, bays, and at entrance channels leading to the ocean. Most seagrasses live either completely submerged, but some are able to tolerate exposure during low tides. Seagrasses anchor to the sediment through roots and rhizomes; through the growth of the rhizomes and roots, they may form dense “beds” or “meadows”.