An international research team, led by a researcher from CEAB-CSIC, has reviewed the accumulated scientific knowledge from various disciplines on the uses of seagrasses worldwide throughout history. The study highlights that these plants were already in use during the Paleolithic.
Seagrass meadows have been essential to human societies for thousands of years. This is evidenced by a new scientific study published in the journal Ambio, which examines the relationship between seagrasses and humanity up to the present day, acknowledging not only their tangible value but also their social and cultural significance.
According to the research—which gathered existing scientific and local knowledge on the subject—seagrasses have had and still have a wide range of uses. They have served as food for both humans and livestock, been used as fertilizers, medicines, materials for crafting tools and construction, and even played a role in cultural customs.
The oldest records obtained so far date back to the Middle Paleolithic, around 180,000 years ago. Remains of seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) associated snails at an archaeological cave site in Nice (France) were too small to be attributed to a food source and so it was suggested they arrived with the seagrass that was used as bedding.
The different uses of seagrasses
There is also ancient evidence that seagrasses were a direct food source: coastal communities in North and Central America and the Indo Pacific consumed their leaves, fruits, or seeds, and some still do. Indirectly, seagrasses also provided food by supporting fish and shellfish populations. Neanderthals in what is now the Netherlands were already harvesting molluscs from seagrass meadows around 120,000 years ago. Some 6,000 years ago, the inhabitants of eastern Arabia were aware that their fishing of rabbitfish depended on the health of seagrass meadows. Similarly, the harvesting of sea cucumbers—one of the main exports of Australia and many parts of Oceania—has long been closely linked to these underwater ecosystems.
The use of seagrass as a material for making containers, such as baskets for storing food, is also ancient and widespread. The properties of these plants, including antiparasitic and antimicrobial characteristics, made them ideal for this purpose. These same properties also made seagrasses suitable for stuffing pillows and mattresses, leading to the development of an industry in Europe. One particularly curious historical record dates back to the 16th century when Pope Julius III requested a mattress filled with Posidonia to protect himself from bedbugs. This application led to large-scale exploitation of seagrass meadows, causing their decline or disappearance in many areas.
The antiseptic properties of some seagrasses also led to their use in traditional medicine. Ancient Egyptians used seagrasses to treat sore throat and skin problems but they have been used across India and Africa to treat stings and wounds.
The natural insulation provided by this type of vegetation was also discovered early on, leading to its use in construction. Seagrasses were mixed into bricks in Crete, and in Mexico and Scandinavia, they were used in roofing—some houses with these seagrass roofs can still be seen today.
Ceremonial use should not be overlooked either: as early as the Early Bronze Age, seagrasses—often found in abundance on beaches—were used as packing material around coffins and urns in burial rituals.
Know, value, and protect
These and other uses documented in the scientific article demonstrate that, beyond their role in carbon sequestration and water filtration, seagrass meadows have provided, and continue to provide, many benefits to humanity. According to the research team, recognizing these benefits could help increase appreciation for seagrasses and promote conservation and restoration efforts.
Nicole Foster, the lead author of the study and a researcher at the Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), explains that “Seagrasses have been intertwined with human history for thousands of years. We mostly focus on seagrasses capacity to store carbon and support marine life and while these are important ecosystem services the place of seagrass in human history is often overlooked. By recognising the role seagrass has played in human history whether this be in material products or medicines and even in spiritual beliefs and art we can start to value seagrass for their social and cultural benefits. This will hopefully give seagrass the recognition that they deserve and lead to increased awareness and conservation.”
The research team has also gathered information on current and potential future uses of seagrasses. Their potential is being explored in food production, both for livestock and humans (even in haute cuisine), as well as in the production of natural fertilizers and biodegradable materials. In fact, innovative products such as mobile phone cases made from seagrass residues are already being manufactured, and their use as food packaging is being considered, inspired by traditional practices of Indigenous communities. Their value in pharmacy and medicine is also being investigated, thanks to their antimicrobial and healing properties. However, for these uses to contribute to their conservation rather than their overexploitation, it is essential to adopt a balanced and sustainable approach, as researchers explain. The use of these resources must be intelligent and well-managed, ensuring that it does not harm seagrass meadows but instead supports their conservation and regeneration—along with their ecological benefits—for future generations.
Ref. Article: Ambio. Societal value of seagrass from historical to contemporary perspectives. Nicole R. Foster (Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes, CEAB-CSIC), Eugenia T. Apostolaki (Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research), Katelyn DiBenedetto (Smithsonian Environmental Research Center), Carlos M. Duarte /Marine Science Program King Abdullah University of Science and Technology), David Gregory (Department of Conservation and Natural Science, The National Museum of Denmark), Karina Inostroza (BIOSFERA Research & Conservation), Dorte Krause-Jensen (Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University), Benjamin L. H. Jones (Department of Earth and Environment, Institute of Environment, Florida International University), Eduard Serrano (BIOSFERA Research & Conservation), Rym Zakhama-Sraieb (University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis) & Oscar Serrano (CEAB-CSIC).
Imatges galeria peu notícia: Fisher in seagrass, Indonesia (credit: BenJones-OceanImageBank); Seaweed roof houses. Denmark (credit: Architectural Seaweed); CEAB-CSIC’s researchers in a posidonia meadow; Marine vegetation remnants on a beach. Menorca (credit: Jordi Pagès-CEAB)
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