Potential of seagrass habitat restorations as nature-based solutions: Practical and scientific implications in Indonesia

Contaminant bioaccumulation and biochemical responses of the bivalve Scrobicularia plana and the polychaete Hediste diversicolor to ecosystem restoration measures using Zostera noltei

A Nature-based Solution (NbS) using Zostera noltei transplants was implemented to restore an area historically contaminated with metals and enhance local environmental conditions. However, the benefits of this restoration approach on the health of resident benthic communities remained unclear, considering the time span of one year of implementation. This study evaluated the short-term effects of transplantation by evaluating bioaccumulation and biochemical responses in Scrobicularia plana and Hediste diversicolor. Overall, the transplanted vegetation played a crucial role in controlling contaminant accumulation, with both species exhibiting lower contaminant levels in vegetated sites compared to bare-bottom sites. The study also revealed species-specific responses to oxidative stress, antioxidant defences and energy budgets, with H. diversicolor being more vulnerable to the absence of vegetation than S. plana. These findings highlight the critical role of vegetation in improving environmental quality and promoting the health of benthic communities, validating the positive effect of the applied restoration measures.

Understanding stakeholders' perception on developing seagrass-associated tourism: Evidence from marine protected areas of Bintan Island, Indonesia

Seagrass ecosystems provide vital services but face increasing threats from human activities. Marine protected areas (MPAs) aim to mitigate these threats, but inadequate funding and management hinder effective conservation. Seagrass-associated tourism presents an opportunity to fund conservation efforts, enhance MPA implementation, and improve local livelihoods. This study explores stakeholder perceptions of seagrass benefits, tourism feasibility, and threats on Bintan Island, Indonesia, using quantitative (349 household surveys) and qualitative (focus group discussion with 15 participants) methods. Our findings show strong stakeholder support for seagrass-associated tourism, but challenges such as ongoing anthropogenic threats and governance shifts in MPA management remain to be addressed. For successful seagrass-based tourism and better conservation, ongoing engagement with local communities and stakeholders is crucial. This approach not only secures conservation funding but also fosters local ownership and stewardship. The study emphasizes understanding stakeholder perceptions to develop a sustainable tourism sector and ensure more effective, inclusive management strategies.

The natural capital of seagrass beds in the Caribbean: evaluating their ecosystem services and blue carbon trade potential

Seagrass beds provide tremendous services to society, including the storage of carbon, with important implications for climate change mitigation. Prioritizing conservation of this valuable natural capital is of global significance, and including seagrass beds in global carbon markets through projects that minimize loss, increase area or restore degraded areas represents a mechanism towards this end. Using newly available Caribbean seagrass distribution data, we estimated carbon storage in the region and calculated economic valuations of total ecosystem services and carbon storage. We estimated the 88 170 km2 of seagrass in the Caribbean stores 1337.8 (360.5-2335.0, minimum and maximum estimates, respectively) Tg carbon. The value of these seagrass ecosystems in terms of total ecosystem services and carbon alone was estimated to be $255 billion yr-1 and $88.3 billion, respectively, highlighting their potential monetary importance for the region. Our results show that Caribbean seagrass beds are globally substantial pools of carbon, and our findings underscore the importance of such evaluation schemes to promote urgently needed conservation of these highly threatened and globally important ecosystems.