Transplantation of seagrass (Posidonia oceanica)

Facing climate change, Posidon oceanica importance is significant due to its ability to regulate the climate by trapping carbon within its tissues, particularly within its matte; as the seagrass species with the highest carbon burial rates, it can form seagrass meadows with humongous carbon storing potential. Other ecosystem services provided by P. oceanica include purification of the water through filtration, protection of coastlines from erosion by absorbing the energy of waves and currents alongside stabilising sediments along the seabed and recycling nutrients. P. oceanica meadows provide complex habitat for a diverse community of fauna, from juveniles to adults, notably providing a source of food, nursery and spawning grounds. The healthy seagrass in the shallow depths where productivity is higher, provide a habitat for protected, endangered, and commercial species, and create a “biodiversity oasis” with spillover effects to the surrounding areas.

With our participation in the project, we convinced the authorities to remove only very small quantities and those were voluntarily transplanted by us. Different methods were used for our transplantation experiments and we will voluntarily monitor their efficiency over the years. This long-term monitoring will allow us to assess the growth and mortality of P. oceanica shoots and obtain essential information on whether our transplantation methods can be used for future large-scale restoration projects.