Assessment of the threat status of seagrass bed ecosystems in Hainan Island

Seagrass bed ecosystems have important ecological service functions, and analyzing their threat degree and influencing factors is helpful for proposing targeted conservation strategies for these ecosystems. Focusing on the seagrass bed ecosystem of Hainan Island, this study integrates survey data, historical records, and literature. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Ecosystems assessment method was adopted to evaluate the threat status of these ecosystems, determine their degree of endangerment and explore the impacts of both human activities and natural factors. Corresponding conservation countermeasures are proposed. The results show that the seagrass bed ecosystems in Wenchang and Sanya are facing a Critically Endangered (CR) situation, while those in Lingshui are Endangered (EN). Ecosystems in Qionghai are assessed as Vulnerable (VU), while those in Chengmai and Danzhou are classified as Near Threatened (NT) and Least Concern (LC), respectively. The seagrass bed ecosystem across Hainan Island is under multiple pressures, with coastal reclamation and fishing activities being the dominant factors of degradation, followed by environmental pressures imposed by sewage discharge and aquaculture. Additionally, climate change factors, such as tropical cyclones, also exert a certain degree of influence. In view of this, this study proposes strengthening the regulation of fishing activities, advancing research on seagrass asexual reproduction, and establishing long-term monitoring of seagrass health and ecological connectivity to promote the sustainable development of the seagrass bed ecosystem in Hainan Island.