Seagrass found to be a powerful carbon sponge with a surprising weakness

Seagrass, a vital coastal ecosystem, may be one of the planet’s best natural carbon sponges—but its fate depends on how we manage nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. While moderate nutrient input can supercharge seagrass growth and boost carbon storage, too much—especially nitrogen—fuels phytoplankton that block sunlight and devastate seagrass beds.

​Seagrass, a vital coastal ecosystem, may be one of the planet’s best natural carbon sponges—but its fate depends on how we manage nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. While moderate nutrient input can supercharge seagrass growth and boost carbon storage, too much—especially nitrogen—fuels phytoplankton that block sunlight and devastate seagrass beds. Seagrass, a vital coastal ecosystem, may be one of the planet’s best natural carbon sponges—but its fate depends on how we manage nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. While moderate nutrient input can supercharge seagrass growth and boost carbon storage, too much—especially nitrogen—fuels phytoplankton that block sunlight and devastate seagrass beds.