NUS seagrass research: Dr Ow Yan Xiang on restoration and carbon capture in Singapore

A marine biologist at the National University of Singapore is advancing seagrass restoration to boost coastal carbon sinks. Seagrass meadows in the Central Indo-Pacific capture an average of 86 metric tonnes of carbon per hectare, equivalent to annual emissions from 22 cars. Singapore has lost about 45 percent of its seagrass since the 1960s due to land reclamation and coastal development. Dr Ow Yan Xiang and her team are transplanting seagrass from dense meadows to depleted areas and studying sexual reproduction to improve long term restoration. They recently published the first detailed description of noodle seagrass reproduction, which could aid future efforts. The work supports marine protected areas and natural climate solutions by restoring a key blue carbon ecosystem.