Sea Lab Sidebar: Seagrass

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In this episode, Alabama Center of Excellence Deputy Director and seagrass expert Dottie Byron shares why seagrass is a foundational habitat, how they recruit birds to help restore seagrass beds, and what you can do to protect this vital habitat.

Bird Stakes

bird stakes in lower perdido

Dottie explains how they recruit birds to help restore seagrass beds. They do this by placing stakes around an area of restored seagrass. The birds enjoy these perches, and provide natural nutrients for the seagrass beds.

The photo above shows peclians and terns resting on the bird stakes at the site of seagrass beds in Lower Perdido, Baldwin County.

Propellar Scar

propellar scar lower perdido

Seagrass is found in shallow water, and when boats travel through these shallow waters they can unknowingly create propellar scars. Byron explains these scars can expand, depleting the seagrass bed.

One way you can help prevent propellar scars is by trimming your motor up when you’re in shallow waters.