Seagrasses of Moreton Bay Quandamooka: Diversity, ecology and resilience

Abstract

Seagrasses are a dominant feature in the seascape of Moreton Bay. They host numerous animals and provide the region with a wide range of ecosystem services that we are only beginning to better understand. In the past 20 years, the focus of seagrass research in Moreton Bay has shifted towards predictive modelling based on comprehensive ecological understanding. There are seven species of seagrasses in Moreton Bay that persist across a wide range of environmental conditions from muddy sediments in the western Bay to the cleaner, sandier waters of the eastern Bay adjacent to Moreton (Moorgumpin) and Stradbroke (Minjerribah) Islands. There has been an encouraging recovery of meadows in some of the more degraded parts parts of the Bay, yet with an ever-increasing human population in South East Queensland, the threats to seagrasses still require continued research effort and careful management. This paper reviews the current understanding of Moreton Bay’s seagrass meadows and provides recommendations for future research.