Dugongs: Underwater Seagrass Detectors That Help Scientists Protect Important Ecosystems

Abstract

Can you picture cows grazing on a meadow of grass? Did you know that there are also “cows” under the sea that graze on seagrass meadows? Dugongs—a type of sea-cow—are threatened with extinction, mainly as a result of human activities and loss of their main food source, seagrass. Seagrasses are a group of flowering plants that grow in the ocean! Seagrasses are important not only as a food source for dugongs, but they provide a home for many animals, absorb carbon dioxide aiding in climate change mitigation, and so much more! However, seagrasses are declining globally, which is bad news not only for dugongs, but for humans as well. Luckily, dugong presence can aid scientists in understanding the health of seagrasses in an area, as well as help scientists locate and protect our important seagrass ecosystems.