Sargassum and its Ecosystems

 

Baby sea turtles forage in mats of Sargassum.

 

Sargassum plays an important role in the life cycles of many animals.  Some use the floating mats to breed or for cover, while others live their whole lives living on or around the seaweed. Many eels spawn in Sargassum patches.  Loggerhead turtles are believed to use the drifting Sargassum mats for cover and protection as they mature.  The sargassum fish has appendages that mimic the shape of the seaweed. Birds search the mats for organisms to eat. Once a mat loses its buoyancy, it sinks to the ocean floor, providing nutrition to organisms on the ocean floor.