An overview of Cuban seagrasses

Here, we present an overview of the current knowledge of Cuban seagrasses, including distribution, status, threats, and efforts for their conservation. It has been estimated that seagrasses cover about 50% of the Cuban shelf, with six species reported and Thalassia testudinum K. D. Koenig being the most dominant. Seagrasses have been studied primarily in three areas in Cuba (northwest, north-central, and southwest). Thalassia testudinum and other seagrasses exhibit spatial and temporal variations in abundance, and updating of their status and distribution is needed. The main threat to Cuban seagrass ecosystems is low seawater transparency due to causes such as eutrophication and erosion. High salinities limit their distribution in the Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago, partly the result of freshwater dams and roads. Seagrass meadows play important ecological roles and provide many ecosystem services in Cuba, with efforts underway to preserve this ecosystem. Research and management projects are directed toward integrated coastal zone management, including a ban on trawl fisheries and the extension of marine protected areas to contain more seagrass meadows. In addition to updating species distributions, it is urgent that managers and researchers in Cuba examine the resilience of this ecosystem in the face of climate change.