Research Project
Researchers: Anna Lafratta (Associated with) , Edith Cowan University (Managed by) , Paul Lavery (Associated with)
Full description
Seagrasses provide ecosystem services critical for environmental protection/carbon sequestration, human food security, biodiversity protection, and fisheries production. Yet they are neglected in decision-making, leading to alarming rates of loss. By focusing on priority sites in the Indo-Pacific, where seagrass habitats are critical for populations of threatened marine megafauna, this project assessed the value of seagrass ecosystem services (SES) and integrated them into decision-making and business models to ensure the sustainability, productivity, and resilience of seagrasses and the coastal communities that rely on them. The project empowers local communities to contribute to the data needed to inform decision-makers and to develop sustainable financing for the conservation of seagrasses and associated biodiversity that are tailored to the specific environmental and economic contexts of the five target countries.