View Te Ara in

Story: Estuaries

Seagrass

Seagrass

Seagrass is the only flowering plant that lives in the sea. Around New Zealand Zostera capricorni is found growing on intertidal and subtidal mudflats, where beds of the grass help stabilise sediment and provide shelter for juvenile fish. The extent of seagrass cover has declined considerably in some estuaries since the 1940s.

About this item

NIWA - National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
Photograph by Malcolm Francis

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

How to cite this page:

Maggy Wassilieff. 'Estuaries', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 24-Sep-11
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/estuaries/3/2