Field Surveys and Ground Monitoring

Seagrass Monitoring by TeamSeaGrass

Seagrasses are flowering plants that live on the intertidal zone. They are a critical marine ecosystem that allows a wide variety of marine life to flourish. These underwater meadows support a host of living entities, from tiny creatures that form the base of food chains across other ecosystems to large animals like the dugong. Changes in seagrass health and distribution can have a huge impact on marine biodiversity. Consequently, seagrass health is an indicator of broader shore health including positive impacts such as from restoration or management efforts, or negative indications such as early signs of the effects of coastal works, pollution or climate change.

Started in 2007, TeamSeaGrass is a collaboration project between the National Biodiversity Centre of NParks and Seagrass-Watch, the largest scientific, non-destructive seagrass assessment and monitoring programme in the world. Led by a small volunteer management team, TeamSeaGrass currently consists of approximately 200 volunteers from all walks of life. These volunteers regularly monitor the seagrasses on Singapore’s shores and collect data from large seagrass meadows at Chek Jawa, Pulau Semakau and Cyrene Reef.

For more information on TeamSeaGrass, visit their website at http://teamseagrass.blogspot.sg/