mauritius
Officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean approximately 2,000 km off the southeast coast of the African continent.
The Republic (2,040 sq km)includes the islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues(560 km east of Mauritius), the outer islands of Agaléga and St. Brandon. The capital and largest city is Port Louis.
Mauritius is known for its varied flora and fauna, with many species endemic to the island. The island was the only known home of the dodo, which, along with several other avian species, was made extinct by human activities relatively shortly after the island’s settlement.
Seagrass-Watch in Mauritius
To provide an early warning of change, long-term monitoring has been established in Mauritius as part of the Seagrass-Watch, Global Seagrass Observing Network (www.seagrasswatch.org). Establishing a network of monitoring sites in Mauritius provides valuable information on temporal trends in the health status of seagrass meadows in the region and provides a tool for decision-makers in adopting protective measures. It encourages local communities to become involved in seagrass management and protection. Working with both scientists and local stakeholders, this approach is designed to draw attention to the many local anthropogenic impacts on seagrass meadows which degrade coastal ecosystems and decrease their yield of natural resources.
Location
Le Morne
Principal watchers: Seagrass-Watch HQ
Location: On fringing reef flat in protected section of bay.
Site code: MU
Issues: Land runoff
Comments: Popular recreational area. Site is dominated by Syringodium isoetifolium and Halodule uninervis with patches of Thalassodendron ciliatum