This thorough and informative volume presents a set of detailed, globally applicable techniques for seagrass research.The book provides methods for all aspects of seagrass science from basic plant collection to statistical approaches and investigations of plant-animal interaction. The emphasis is on methods that are applicable in both developing and developed countries. The importance of seagrasses in coastal and near shore environments, and ultimately their contribution to the productivity of the world's oceans, has become increasingly recognised over the last 40 years.Seagrasses provide food for sea turtles, nearly 100 fish species, waterfowl and for the marine mammals the manatee and dugong. Seagrasses also support complex food webs by virtue of their physical structure and primary production and are well known for their role as breeding grounds and nurseries for important crustacean, finfish and shell fish populations. Seagrasses are the basis of an important detrital food chain. The plants filter nutrients and contaminants from the water, stabilise sediments and act as dampeners to wave action. Seagrasses rank with coral reefs and mangroves as some of the world's most productive coastal habitat and strong linkages among these habitats make the loss of seagrasses a contributing factor in the degradation of the world's oceans. Contributors from around the world provide up-to-date methods for comparable collection of ecological information from both temperate and tropical seagrass ecosystems.

Seagrasses are a vital and widespread but often overlooked coastal marine habitat. This volume provides a global survey of their distribution and conservation status.

Seagrasses are flowering plants that thrive in shallow oceanic and estuarine waters around the world. Although there are only about 60 species of seagrasses worldwide, these plants play an important role in many shallow, near-shore, marine ecosystems. There is growing evidence that seagrasses are declining globally because of anthropogenic impacts. This paper presents an overview of seagrasses, the impacts of climate change, and other threats to seagrass habitats. Finally, it proposes tools and strategies for managers to help support seagrass resilience.

Climate change poses a severe threat to the global ecosystem which will impact all nations around the world including ASEAN member countries. Urgent and integrated effort is critical to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide which traps heat in the atmosphere and causes climate change. Plants have the capacity to absorb and store a large amount of carbon. Recent researches suggest that seagrass ecosystem is one of the most promising carbon sequester and carbon sink. Seagrass absorbs carbon dioxide and converts it into potential energy which is stored in the form of organic carbon. The seagrass’ organic carbon and organic matter from other sources is trapped in the seagrass sediments. Due to this capacity, seagrass is recognized as a natural carbon dioxide removal (NCDR). Compared to tropical rainforests, seagrass meadows have more potential to capture and store a large amount of carbon (i.e. blue carbon). ASEAN countries share similar concerns and equal responsibility to preserve the seagrass ecosystem as a natural-based approach on mitigating global climate change. However, seagrass ecosystem in each of the ASEAN country has its own unique characteristics, posing challenges on the contribution assessment of each country. Thus, a general platform to collect data and calculate carbon sequestration from the seagrass ecosystem needs to be developed, to equally compare data and information among the ASEAN countries. Accordingly, this guideline was developed as a mean to fulfil the need.