Epilogue
This book has been the outcome of four years of intensive preparation and, as pointed out in the “Foreword” is based on three decades of intensive research
into seagrasses. However, having assembled a group
of the finest seagrass biologists in the world who have
produced a magnificent set of 26 chapters, encompassing most areas of seagrass biology, the editors
do not think that we have reached any kind of final
statement of seagrass research. Much as we hope that
this book will provide stimulus and ideas for generations of seagrass workers to come, we see this book
merely as a guidepost early on the road to an understanding of the role of seagrasses in coastal ecosystems and to the proper conservation of these important species. In closing this book we would therefore
like to add what we think are a few pointers to the
future.
In reviewing seagrass research we need to assess
our strengths and our shortcomings. The strengths
are clearly embedded in the record of the 26 chapters
of this book and we should not forget the dedication
of a vast body of workers who have contributed to
this corpus of knowledge. Nevertheless we should
face the future with a clear vision and recognize a
number of shortcomings in the past. Some of these
are methodological – past techniques were not sufficient for the purpose. Some were based on paradigms
which we no longer support – such as the ascendancy
of primary production by the seagrasses of seagrass
beds as opposed to that of the epiphytes and benthic
algae (Chapter 7) or the role of predators in structuring seagrass beds (Chapter 22). Undoubtedly new
paradigms will emerge in the future and we should
make sure that we retain the mental flexibility to
be receptive to these. We should also bear in mind
the balance between the need to produce adequate
frameworks for synthesis and comparative analyses
of seagrass ecology and the realization that not all
seagrasses are the same and that the same species
of seagrass may not perform the same role at the
different sites at which it occurs around the world.
Neither will of all them fit into the neat categories
that we try to fit them into. Large canopy-forming
seagrasses will clearly differ in many ways from
Halophila species and other smaller seagrasses.
There is also a pressing need to find ways to integrate seagrass research, not only in terms of seagrass
disciplines (taxonomy, population genetics, physiology, ecology, conservation, etc.) but also in terms of
the wider disciplines of integrative ecosystem conservation and management at the local, community,
the regional area and the global level. In the past
seagrass researchers have been satisfied to address
specific biological and conservation topics. In the
future it will become increasingly important to integrate this knowledge into two other activities, i)
addressing what the community wants in terms of
land use of seagrass areas and ii) best management
strategy for any given area, in terms of local and
global imperatives. This is a challenging area but
there has been much progress made here, in terms
of fostering community interest in seagrasses (e.g.
SeagrassNet, Seagrass Watch, etc) and in getting
governments and NGOs interested in seagrass value
and conservation.
In order for conservation efforts to meet the broadest possible support it is important to present the
many important roles and the general value of seagrasses in an effective way. In the Foreword to this
book we listed a number of those values. However
that list is by no means exhaustive and local communities or global organizations may see other priorities and values to seagrasses. For example seagrasses
have cultural importance locally to many indigenous
communities around the world and they may form a
significant part of their economy.
In the broader, global context seagrasses have
an important value as bioindicators. They are
widespread, being present on all continents except
Antarctica, and several species have a very wide
range, e.g. Halophila decipiens and Zostera marina.
Others form a significant component of the ecosystem in many areas, sometimes being the dominant
organisms defining the ecosystem e.g. Zostera, Thalassia and Posidonia beds. As such they are responsive to perturbations to the environment and
This book has been the outcome of four years of intensive preparation and, as pointed out in the “Foreword” is based on three decades of intensive research
into seagrasses. However, having assembled a group
of the finest seagrass biologists in the world who have
produced a magnificent set of 26 chapters, encompassing most areas of seagrass biology, the editors
do not think that we have reached any kind of final
statement of seagrass research. Much as we hope that
this book will provide stimulus and ideas for generations of seagrass workers to come, we see this book
merely as a guidepost early on the road to an understanding of the role of seagrasses in coastal ecosystems and to the proper conservation of these important species. In closing this book we would therefore
like to add what we think are a few pointers to the
future.
In reviewing seagrass research we need to assess
our strengths and our shortcomings. The strengths
are clearly embedded in the record of the 26 chapters
of this book and we should not forget the dedication
of a vast body of workers who have contributed to
this corpus of knowledge. Nevertheless we should
face the future with a clear vision and recognize a
number of shortcomings in the past. Some of these
are methodological – past techniques were not sufficient for the purpose. Some were based on paradigms
which we no longer support – such as the ascendancy
of primary production by the seagrasses of seagrass
beds as opposed to that of the epiphytes and benthic
algae (Chapter 7) or the role of predators in structuring seagrass beds (Chapter 22). Undoubtedly new
paradigms will emerge in the future and we should
make sure that we retain the mental flexibility to
be receptive to these. We should also bear in mind
the balance between the need to produce adequate
frameworks for synthesis and comparative analyses
of seagrass ecology and the realization that not all
seagrasses are the same and that the same species
of seagrass may not perform the same role at the
different sites at which it occurs around the world.
Neither will of all them fit into the neat categories
that we try to fit them into. Large canopy-forming
seagrasses will clearly differ in many ways from
Halophila species and other smaller seagrasses.
There is also a pressing need to find ways to integrate seagrass research, not only in terms of seagrass
disciplines (taxonomy, population genetics, physiology, ecology, conservation, etc.) but also in terms of
the wider disciplines of integrative ecosystem conservation and management at the local, community,
the regional area and the global level. In the past
seagrass researchers have been satisfied to address
specific biological and conservation topics. In the
future it will become increasingly important to integrate this knowledge into two other activities, i)
addressing what the community wants in terms of
land use of seagrass areas and ii) best management
strategy for any given area, in terms of local and
global imperatives. This is a challenging area but
there has been much progress made here, in terms
of fostering community interest in seagrasses (e.g.
SeagrassNet, Seagrass Watch, etc) and in getting
governments and NGOs interested in seagrass value
and conservation.
In order for conservation efforts to meet the broadest possible support it is important to present the
many important roles and the general value of seagrasses in an effective way. In the Foreword to this
book we listed a number of those values. However
that list is by no means exhaustive and local communities or global organizations may see other priorities and values to seagrasses. For example seagrasses
have cultural importance locally to many indigenous
communities around the world and they may form a
significant part of their economy.
In the broader, global context seagrasses have
an important value as bioindicators. They are
widespread, being present on all continents except
Antarctica, and several species have a very wide
range, e.g. Halophila decipiens and Zostera marina.
Others form a significant component of the ecosystem in many areas, sometimes being the dominant
organisms defining the ecosystem e.g. Zostera, Thalassia and Posidonia beds. As such they are responsive to perturbations to the environment and