An Assessment of Seagrass Meadows and Ecosytem Services in Turtle Islands, Sierra Leone. Case Study: Bumpetuk

Abstract

Seagrasses are unique aquatic plants that provide several vital ecosystem services, including erosion mitigation, habitat for fisheries, and carbon sequestration. Despite these plants’ significant role in the marine environment, they are threatened mainly by human activities. West Africa is amongst the least studied areas of seagrass globally. However, through the ResilienSEA seagrass project, the region now has more data on seagrass. Sierra Leone officially recorded seagrass in 2019. Several monitoring exercises have been undertaken following the discovery to learn more about the seagrass species and raise awareness. This research seeks to add to the ongoing studies in the area. It assesses three specific objectives – i. seagrass ecology, ii. ecosystem services, and iii. people’s perception of seagrass. The ecological assessment included seagrass percentage cover, canopy height, sediment type, and water depth. The result showed low seagrass percentage cover, and the canopy height ranged between 3–10 cm. The sediment is primarily sandy. The open data kit (ODK) assessed objectives two and three. Participants indicated that seagrass in the area supports provisioning, regulatory and maintenance, and cultural services. They were also keen interest in learning more about seagrass and conserving it.