MarineGEO Seagrass Habitat Monitoring Protocol

In this document, we provide MarineGEO’s standard survey design for sampling seagrass habitats, including key measurements of the plants, associated fauna, and other properties of the ecosystem. Additionally, we provide define best practices for site selection, layout, and workflow.

The overall design and replication adheres as closely as possible to other seagrass monitoring programs, such as SeagrassNET and Seagrass Watch. Our goal is to provide a standardized sampling design and measurements of the key aspects of seagrass habitats that can be compared globally.

Additional recommended protocols:

• Predation (bait loss; ‘Squidpops’) - https://doi.org/10.25573/serc.14717802
• Sediment organic matter (bulk density, organic carbon) conducted one-time per site - https://doi.org/10.25573/serc.14925111