The charisma of coastal ecosystems: addressing the imbalance

solution diagramThis article, recently published in Estuaries and Coasts 31(2): 233-238, assesses the relative research effort, as well as relative media reporting of this research effort, for the major coastal ecosystems. Although seagrass meadows support equivalent ecosystem services to coral, mangrove and salt marsh habitats - they recieve less research effort and that effort is proportionately reported in the media far less. Effective science communication to better educate the public and students is seen as essential to raise awareness of seagrass habitats and thus preserve their valuable ecosystem services.