Understanding the Recovery and Spread of Seagrass Following Disturbance

Seagrass ecosystems are among the most productive coastal habitats and provide essential ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, shoreline stabilization, nutrient cycling, and nursery grounds for fisheries. However, seagrass meadows are increasingly exposed to natural and anthropogenic disturbances that threaten their persistence and resilience. Understanding how seagrass ecosystems recover and spread following disturbance is therefore critical for effective conservation and restoration strategies. This study presents a systematic literature review examining the processes that influence seagrass recovery and recolonization following disturbance. A total of 110 studies met the inclusion criteria by explicitly evaluating seagrass recovery following disturbance. Spatial and temporal dynamics of seagrass expansion were discussed in 104 studies (94.5%), while fewer studies focused specifically on biological mechanisms of spread such as clonal growth and seed recruitment (21 papers, 19.1%). The causes of disturbance included climate change and marine heatwaves (52 studies), eutrophication and water quality degradation (34 studies), habitat modification from coastal development (23 studies), and mechanical disturbance from activities such as anchoring and trawling (11 studies). The synthesis indicates that seagrass recovery is strongly influenced by environmental conditions, including light availability, sediment stability, nutrient loading, and hydrodynamic exposure. Recovery occurs through clonal rhizome expansion and sexual recruitment through seed dispersal. While clonal expansion promotes gradual local recovery, seed dispersal enables recolonization over broader spatial scales. Successful management and restoration strategies typically involve a combination of improved environmental conditions and active restoration approaches. Publication trends show a marked increase in research on seagrass recovery since 2015, reflecting growing recognition of seagrass ecosystems as key blue carbon habitats. However, research remains geographically biased toward temperate regions. Expanding research in tropical systems is essential for improving global understanding of seagrass resilience and informing sustainable coastal management.