Indirect grazers on epiphytes - fish, molluscs, echinoderms, crustaceans and others. Detrital feeders - almost any feeders. Shelter - fish, crustacea, echinoderms, also beds for predatory gastropods such as helmet shells, cones, and conchs looking for smaller molluscs. Echinoderms like sand dollars, sea biscuits, and big star fish are also found here. This is also a good nursery area for smaller fish because then the bigger fish come in to find them.
Seagrass meadows can be monospecific or multi-generic.
Common communities in the Gulf of Mexico are Thallasia, Halodule and Syringodium Common communities in the Gulf of California are Thallasia, Halodule, Ruppia and Zostera J. Torre looking at Zostera marrina beds in Gulf of California. Examining differences between northern and southern populations. Northern plants have smaller blades, reproduction is mostly by rhizomes in perennial stands. Seed germination seems to be triggered by salinity changes. But germination rates are low.