Post by SEAQUEST Project

🌸 Did you know that seagrasses have flowers, fruits, and seeds? Our partner Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR) uncovers the amazing features of seagrasses for underwater reproduction in Ria Formosa lagoon. And the fertile season is about to begin! The first flowers appear in late March 🌱, and seeds can be found until November 🍂. The pollen released by male flowers is a gelatinous thread-like form that floats and is transported by currents to fertilize submerged female flowers 🌊✨. Some marine animals give a little help in the pollination process by transferring pollen while feeding 🐟. Female flowers have feathery and sticky structures designed to easily trap the drifting pollen 🪶. Once they are fertilized, they form a fruit, which later develops into a seed 🌾, and then into a new plant 🌿. Sexual reproduction with the production of flowers, fruits, and seeds is an important mechanism for seagrass maintenance in disturbing habitats as it increases genetic diversity 🧬💚. Seagrasses are indeed amazing plants! 🌊💙 🌟 Find out more about seagrass characteristics and their ecological functions in the #CurriculumforTeachers, now available at SEAQUEST website 🔗 👉 https://lnkd.in/dcd69AdW Democritus University of Thrace - (D.U.Th.) 🔸 Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) 🔸 STANDOUTEDU 🔸 European Marine Science Educators' Association (EMSEA) 🔸 Multisensory Experience Lab