Seagrass meadows distribution

• Seagrasses are abundant along the south and east coasts of Puerto Rico.

• The Caribbean Sea’s currents and surf conditions are calmer than those of the Atlantic Ocean.

Seagrass Land Continental shelf

• In Puerto Rico, seagrass meadows are well developed on the south, southeast and east coasts of the island.

• This distribu on happens because in these areas, the insular pla orm is wider than in the north; that is to say, the shallow areas in the south extend further out from shore than in the north, which favors seagrass meadows growth, development and establishment. These zones are also chartacterized as having gentler currents and surf condi ons than in the north.

• Addi onal topics: Geography. Here, the instructor can show the students which areas in Puerto Rico feature the the most well-developed seagrass meadows; it must be taken into account that the green areas in the map indicate seagrass meadows presence. Also, there is an opportunity to perform an exercise with the students using geographical knowledge by naming the towns adjacent to areas where the seagrass meadows are located.