Climate Change is Reshaping Seagrass Futures: Novel Environments and Opportunities Along Coastlines and Across Oceans

Authors

• Marc J. S. Hensel, University of Florida
• Christopher J. Patrick, William & Mary & Virginia Institute of Marine Science
• Christopher J. Brown, University of Tasmania
• Jillian Dunic, Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• Jonathan S. Lefcheck, Best Environmental Applied Research
• Enie Hensel, University of Florida
• Lina Mtwana Nordlund, Uppsala University
• Melisa C. Wong, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
• Joel A. Carr, Eastern Ecological Science Center
• William C. Dennison, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
• Katharina A. M. Engelhardt, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
• Gary A. Kendrick, The University of Western Australia
• Karen McGlathery, University of Virginia
• Richard C. Zimmerman, Old Dominion UniversityFollow
• David J. Wilcox, William & Mary & Virginia Institute of Marine Science
• Robert J. Orth, William & Mary & Virginia Institute of Marine Science

ORCID

0000-0002-9399-4264 (Zimmerman)

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

DOI

10.1093/biosci/biag145

Publication Title

Bioscience

Volume

Advance online publication

Pages

biag145 (17 pp.)

Abstract

Seagrasses are a highly productive ecosystem that supports biodiversity and fisheries, protects coastlines, and buries globally significant carbon stocks. Because seagrasses are increasingly stressed by warmer, darker, and more variable waters, established management strategies may not guarantee future success. Here, we depict a global outlook for seagrass futures by synthesizing how climate and non-climate human pressures may restructure meadow composition, food webs, fisheries, and blue carbon services. Current seagrass range shifts, adaptations, and acclimations to novel environmental conditions preview future states: climate-tolerant species often become dominant post-disturbance, seeds can disperse hundreds of kilometers, and local management can facilitate habitat persistence and large-scale restoration. To boost climate resilience, we propose a three-part framework involving (1) expanding seagrass mariculture and planting, (2) detecting and predicting shifting stressor gradients and species distributions, and (3) managing for seagrasses tolerant of novel environments. Together, these strategies offer proactive pathways for cultivating climate-adapted seagrass meadows worldwide.

Rights

© The Authors 2026

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License, which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Original Publication Citation

Hensel, M. J. S., Patrick, C. J., Brown, C. J., Dunic, J., Lefcheck, J. S., Hensel, E., Nordlund, L. M., Wong, M. C., Carr, J. A., Dennison, W. C., Engelhardt, K. A. M., Kendrick, G. A., McGlathery, K., Zimmerman, R. C., Wilcox, D. J., & Orth, R. J. (2026). Climate change is reshaping seagrass futures: Novel environments and opportunities along coastlines and across oceans. Bioscience. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biag145

Repository Citation

Hensel, Marc J. S.; Patrick, Christopher J.; Brown, Christopher J.; Dunic, Jillian; Lefcheck, Jonathan S.; Hensel, Enie; Nordlund, Lina Mtwana; Wong, Melisa C.; Carr, Joel A.; Dennison, William C.; Engelhardt, Katharina A. M.; Kendrick, Gary A.; McGlathery, Karen; Zimmerman, Richard C.; Wilcox, David J.; and Orth, Robert J., "Climate Change is Reshaping Seagrass Futures: Novel Environments and Opportunities Along Coastlines and Across Oceans" (2026). OES Faculty Publications. 594.
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/oeas_fac_pubs/594