Seagrasses in Cape York have weathered some of the hottest sea temperatures ever recorded on the Great Barrier Reef this summer and survived.

A James Cook University research team led by Dr Catherine Collier travelled to the far northern Reef to check on the impact of recent extreme temperatures on seagrass condition and resilience thanks to funds raised by the Foundation’s ReefBlitz Corporate Team Challenge last year.

Compared to when researchers visited the seagrass beds in October last year, the seagrass was slightly more dense in June – an unexpected result for this time of year when seagrass typically declines following the wet season. The research team reported no signs of heat stress and was pleased to spot some dugongs and many turtles around the seagrass meadows.

Why are seagrasses so important?

Seagrasses provide calm, sheltered homes and safe nurseries for many marine animals including juvenile fish and prawns. They are also the major food source for some Great Barrier Reef grazers like dugongs and green turtles. An adult green turtle eats about 2 kg of seagrass per day while an adult dugong consumes a massive 28 kg a day! If seagrass habitats are adversely affected, the impact will be felt by many other Reef species.