Browsing by Author "BA, Mamadou Abdoul"
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- Current information on seagrass habitats of the Banc d´Arguin National Park, MauritaniaPublication . BA, Mamadou Abdoul; Serrão, EsterSeagrass beds play an essential role in coastal ecosystems, providing critical habitat, carbon sequestration and numerous ecosystem services. The Banc d'Arguin National Park (PNBA) in Mauritania is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its rich marine biodiversity and unique coastal ecosystems structured by extensive marine vegetation. Seagrass meadows, in particular, are extremely important in this protected area, for supporting a multitude of ecosystem services and ecological functions. This study aims to compile and update the most recent information gathered as part of our work on seagrass habitats and their associated species in the Banc d'Arguin National Park over the last five years. The information gathered shows that three seagrass species are widespread along the coast of the PNBA, but that they are ecologically and structurally different, and that they are subject to threats that differ between species depending on their biology. A major concern for this vast protected national park is that the main threats to seagrass habitats are not local in origin and cannot therefore be easily managed and avoided by the management authorities. Conservation of seagrass habitat by the Mauritanian authorities is a priority, but local action cannot counteract global pressures, particularly climate change and invasive species.