What is the impact of ocean pollution on the growth and survival of seagrass and other underwater plants?

Ocean pollution has a significant impact on the growth and survival of seagrass and other underwater plants. Seagrass is an essential component of marine ecosystems, providing habitat for a wide range of marine animals, stabilizing sediment, and helping to prevent shoreline erosion. Seagrass also plays a critical role in the carbon cycle by absorbing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

However, ocean pollution can disrupt the growth and survival of seagrass by reducing the amount of light that reaches the plants, altering water chemistry, and introducing toxic substances into the marine environment. Polluted waters can also lead to an increase in algae blooms, which can smother and kill seagrass and other underwater plants.

In addition to seagrass, other underwater plants such as mangroves and coral reefs are also affected by ocean pollution. Coral reefs are particularly vulnerable to pollution, which can cause coral bleaching and mortality, ultimately leading to the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of marine ecosystems.