How do seagrass meadows help store carbon in the ocean?

Seagrass meadows are underwater flowering plants, not algae, and they can play a major role in carbon storage. They capture carbon through photosynthesis and bury some of it in sediments beneath the meadow. Because these sediments can remain oxygen-poor, the carbon may stay locked away for years, decades, or even longer. Seagrass beds also provide shelter for juvenile fish, stabilize the seabed, and improve water clarity. Scientists and conservationists often group them with mangroves and salt marshes as blue carbon ecosystems.