Seagrass beds are important sources of blue carbon and play a key role in natural carbon sinks. However, Taiwan's seagrass ecosystem has faced a severe decline in recent years due to threats from climate change and human development. Professor Liu Biren of the Institute of Marine Biology at National Tung Hwa University noted that the world has lost 29% of its seagrass, and an additional 30-40% of this blue carbon ecosystem is projected to be lost over the next 100 years. At the end of last month, in an online lecture co-hosted by the Taiwan Environmental Planning Association and Chengyang Environmental Consultants, Liu Biren discussed in depth the role of Taiwan's seagrass beds in the blue carbon issue and the current status of their restoration. Can't tell the difference between seagrass and seaweed? The biggest difference lies in the vascular bundle. Many people often confuse seagrass with algae, but unlike algae, which lack a vascular system, seagrass possesses true roots, stems, and leaves, using its vascular bundles to absorb water and nutrients and perform photosynthesis. Seagrasses are flowering plants that live in shallow ocean waters. They sink in the water, attach their roots to the sandy bottom, and grow in shallow coastal waters with sufficient sunlight and clear water. Liu Biren emphasized that seagrasses can bloom, bear fruit, and produce seeds, and are very different from seaweed in appearance and classification. Taiwan has a high degree of biodiversity, and the seagrass bed ecology of the main island and outlying islands is no exception. Seagrasses mostly grow in waters less than 10 meters deep, and their growth environments are diverse. Seagrass populations can be seen in landforms ranging from sandy beaches, coral reef platforms to intertidal zones. The distribution range includes Hsinchu, Taichung to Chiayi, Tainan, Pingtung, Taitung, and outlying islands. There are currently 12 species of seagrasses in Taiwan, including licorice.
