Sea grass beds are also major food manufacturers in the coastal environment. Like land grasses, sea grasses absorb carbon dioxide and minerals from the environment, and using energy from sunlight convert them to organic material. This organic material is food for many marine species. Consequently, the high productivity rate of this system is linked with high yields in associated fisheries. When the sea grasses die, they form detritus and release minerals back to the environment, making it available for other organisms.
Sea grasses are therefore nutrient sinks and sources and they help in nutrient recycling.
Paradoxically, their greatest contribution to the chain of life is death. Sea grasses are coastal stabilizers as they provide protection against coastal erosion. The sea grass blade slows and retards current flow, reducing overall water flow. The roots and rhizomes of the grass form a complex, interlocking matrix, which binds the sediment and retards erosion. In spite of their great importance however, sea grass beds are disappearing.