Growing together: Uniting science, communities, and policy for seagrass recovery across the British Isles

Seagrass ecosystems in the British Isles have undergone drastic change over the last century. For example, at least 44% of the UK’s seagrass area has been lost since 1936, fueled by poor water quality, habitat modifications and coastal development. What remains is limited in area, fragmented, often degraded, and subject to multiple pressures. When the World Atlas of Seagrasses was published in 2003, the British Isles were absent, reflecting not only limited seagrass science in the region at the time but also a lack of recognition by regulators of its social and ecological importance.

Over the last decade, a global surge in seagrass research has reframed these meadows as biodiversity hotspots, critical fish nurseries, blue carbon stores, and natural coastal defences that stabilise sediments and improve water quality. This renewed attention has sparked growth in mapping, monitoring, and active restoration efforts across the British Isles.

Building on the momentum of the inaugural UK Seagrass Symposium in 2023, this Research Topic aims to showcase the scientific advances strengthening understanding of seagrass systems in the British Isles and to inspire collective action towards their recovery and resilience. Endorsed as an activity of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the 2025 UK Seagrass Symposium will unite scientists, practitioners, policymakers, and communities to accelerate knowledge exchange, bridge science and practice, and highlight solutions that deliver real-world impact.
This Research Topic encourages contributions that span the ecological, biophysical, and social dimensions of seagrass ecosystems.

We invite authors to explore new insights into biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, human pressures, and restoration approaches, as well as to consider the broader cultural, policy, and governance contexts shaping seagrass conservation in the British Isles. Through this synthesis of disciplines and perspectives, we aim to illuminate pathways that will enhance the protection, restoration, and stewardship of seagrass meadows across the British Isles, and serve as a model for other regions on a similar trajectory.

We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following symposium themes:
• Biodiversity, Functional Ecology, and Species Interactions in Seagrass Ecosystems
• Anthropogenic Pressures and Environmental Drivers of Seagrass Decline
• Mapping, Monitoring, and Indicators for Seagrass Ecosystem Assessments
• Blue Carbon and Ecosystem Services of Seagrass Meadows
• Restoration Science, Practice, and Predictive Modelling
• Social-Ecological Systems: Community Engagement, Knowledge Integration, and Cultural Values

We invite original research articles, reviews, perspectives, and case studies that contribute to advancing seagrass science and its application to conservation and management in the British Isles and wider regions.