T. testudinum: Counteracting Ocean Acidification 

The issues that scientists must address and solve concerning climate change, grow in number and complexity every year. One such challenge facing scientists on a global scale is the threat of ocean acidification. As carbon dioxide continues to be released into atmosphere, the world's oceans absorb 1/3 of the excess carbon dioxide, converting into carbonic acid in the process. As a result, the world's oceans are becoming far more acidic resulting in negative consequences for coral reefs and other marine organisms. The average pH of the oceans has shifted from 8.2 to 8.1,  a twenty-five percent increase in ocean acidity within the last century. Sea grass beds, salt marshes and mangroves are a few of the only marine organisms unharmed from increased carbonic acid levels. Marine Biologists have confirmed that these marine plants have the ability to sequester and absorb carbon out of the ocean. Marine biologists and other scientists are hopeful that the carbon uptake by  one seagrass in particular, T. testudinum, which could have the potential to significantly reduce carbonic acid levels around many of the world's endangered coral reef habitats. Unfortunately, coastal development and pollution have destroyed the majority of T. testudinum seagrass beds. Due to the loss of seagrass habitat and many other difficulties in testing seagrass, researchers have been unable to confirm their hypothesis or test the effectiveness of T. testudinum sea grass in reducing carbonic acid levels in the ocean. Currently, no researchers have been able to test this specific seagrass or its potential benefits.