Seagrasses - The forgotton marine habitat
Abstract
Seagrasses, a specialized group of flowering plants, submerged in the marine, estuarine, bay and backwater regions of the world. Though seagrass beds are of great ecological and socio economic importance, they are mostly unknown to Indians. Seagrass beds from India are mainly confined to southeast coast, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands. West coast of India is represented by four species, and patches are confined to estuarine and bay regions. Halophila beccarii and H. ovalis constitute the seagrass flora of Goa, and their patches occur in the lower intertidal and shallow littoral, polyhaline (18-30 ppt) zones. The prominent beds in Goa exist along Mandovi and Terekhol estuaries, and Chapora Bay. These habitats in the country have been categorized as ecologically sensitive habitats under Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).
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