A rare assemblage of seaweeds, previously unknown to researchers, has been discovered at the bottom of the Red Sea. Researchers have so far identified 34 grasslands in the Red Sea by following a species of green turtle.
This research was conducted with the support of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia and the State Government of Queensland, Australia. As this research has shown, it is possible to get a clear understanding of the ocean floor ecosystem by following the movements of green turtles.
The research team of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology said that if there is a clear understanding of the ecosystem under the sea, it is possible to take steps to ensure carbon capture and economic sustainability. Valuable data will be available for development policy formulation in the Red Sea region in particular.
Seagrass, mangrove areas and salt marshes play an important role in sequestering blue carbon, the researchers said. This blue carbon may prove more beneficial than rainforests in many cases.
The researchers said that only 10 percent of the planet's seagrasses have been identified through satellite surveys. These grasses grow in shallow areas of the sea. As the depth of water increases, the quantity of this grass decreases.
Researchers discovered 34 Red Sea meadows by tracking the movements of 53 green turtles.
Before that, researchers usually looked for seagrass using a map called the Allen Coral Atlas. Green turtles are 20 times more effective than the Allen Coral Atlas in identifying seagrass locations, researchers claim, especially in the deep sea.
King Abdullah University's Ibn Sina Distinguished Professor Carlos Duarte led the study. He said, 'Traditional methods of seagrass detection include aerial surveys, hyperspectral sensors and lidar sensors.
It costs millions of dollars. But using the green turtle does not cost a single part of it.
Source: Arab news
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