sea grasses

Question 1

what are sea grasses

Answer 1

marine plants which produce flowers, fruits and seeds (angiosperms)

Question 2

how are sea grasses classified

Answer 2

class = monocotyledons
order = alismatales

Question 3

what are the 4/14 families of sea grasses looked at in this module

Answer 3

1) hydrocharitaceae
2) posidoniaceae
3) zosteraceae
4) cymodoceaceae

Question 4

what are some characteristics of seagrasses

Answer 4

• a true root system
• internal vascular system
• rhizome responsible for vegetative propagation

Question 5

what is hydrophilous pollination

Answer 5

pollen from a male flower disperses and must find a female flower on a different plant for pollination to occur

Question 6

what are some anatomical adaptations of seagrass leaves

Answer 6

• lack stomata, thin cuticle to allow gas and nutrient exchange
• large thin-walled arencgyma to faciliate gas diffusion within leaf providing buoyancy

Question 7

what are some anatomical adpatations of roots and rhizomes of sea grasses

Answer 7

• oxygen transport to the roots creates an oxic enviro
  all produce root hairs

Question 8

where are sea grasses found

Answer 8

60 species found globally from artic to southern oceans also found in tropical and temperate regions

Question 9

what is needed for sea grass survival

Answer 9

• nutrients
• shelter
• co2
• oxic mud/sand
• saline water
• suitable termpature
• light

Question 10

how are seagrasses globally important to ecosystems

Answer 10

• biodiversity
• food
  oxygen
  nutients cycling
  water quality
  livleihood
  shelter

Question 11

what lives in sea grasses

Answer 11

• small invertebrates

Question 12

what are some threats to seagrass

Answer 12

• agricultural run off
• temp increase
• infrastructure
• boating
• sea-level rise
• aquaculture
• invasive species