Seagrasses are found on the bottom of protected bays, lagoons, and other shallow coastal waters. Although they are not true grasses, seagrasses appear grass-like with shoots of three to five leaf blades attached to a horizontal stem. They are attached to the bottom by thick roots and rhizomes, allowing seagrasses to live in areas with wave action and strong currents. Seagrasses can form large underwater meadows, spreading through the extension of the rhizome that produces new plants along the edges of the meadow. Flowering also occurs, producing seeds that are quickly dispersed via currents and tides.
Seagrass communities are important in tropical and temperate marine food webs, providing habitat for a diversity of marine animals. Some animals feed directly on the seagrass blades and roots while others scrape the epiphytes from the seagrass blades. Large predators also visit seagrass beds in search of prey.
