Mishra, Amrit Kumar, Van Luong, Cao, Premarathne, Chanaka, Dangan-Galon, Floredel D., Fortes, Miguel, Hossain, Mohammad Shawkat, and Gaitan-Espitia, Juan (2026) Lack of local management and limited adaptive capacity are pushing the vulnerable seagrass (Halophila beccarii Aschers.) towards extinction across the Indo-Pacific. Frontiers in Conservation Science, 7. 1734915.

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Abstract

Seagrass ecosystems worldwide are undergoing rapid decline due to intensifying anthropogenic pressures and climate change, leading to severe habitat degradation and species loss. Among these, Halophila beccarii Ashcers., a small intertidal seagrass species endemic to the Indo-Pacific, is particularly vulnerable. Despite its ecological importance in supporting biodiversity, sediment stabilization and carbon sequestration, the species remains understudied and its adaptive capacity (AC) to environmental change is poorly understood. Using published literature spanning 1977-2024, we systematically reviewed morphological, ecological, and genetic characteristics of H. beccarii across 14 countries in the Indo-Pacific bioregion. Following the current available AC framework, which considers species responses to environmental change through Persist in Place (PiP) or Shift in Space (SiS) pathways. Our synthesis revealed that H. beccarii exhibits generally low AC, with more than half of the assessed attributes indicating limited resilience. Although the species is reported from 13 Indo-Pacific countries, its area of occupancy is extremely restricted (312.7 ha) and populations occur as small, fragmented patches. Demographic observations from Malaysian population indicate an annual life cycle with rapid generational turnover and seasonal recruitment, suggesting short-term persistence potential. Additionally, limited dispersal ability, low genetic diversity, and narrow habitat specialization constrain largescale range shifts. Overall, the adaptive profile of H. beccarii indicates a strategy dominated by PiP responses, supported by physiological tolerance and clonal growth, but limited capacity for spatial distribution. Country-specific conservation policies remain scare, with only Malaysia and the Philippines incorporating the species with national conservation and management frameworks. Without targeted conservation interventions, H. beccarii populations across the Indo-Pacific may experience irreversible declines. Our assessments highlight the urgent need to strengthen research on key adaptive traits, particularly population genetics, reproductive ecology and demography dynamics to refine vulnerability predictions and guide regionally coordinated conservation actions. Enhancing the AC of H. beccarii through integrated management, restoration and monitoring programs is critical to prevent further local extirpations and secure the resilience of Indo-Pacific seagrass ecosystems under accelerating environmental change.

Item ID:	92087
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	2673-611X
Keywords:	climate change, conservation, costal management, Halophila beccarii, Indo-Pacific, resilience, seagrass, vulnerability assessment
Copyright Information:	© 2026 Mishra, Luong, Premarathne, Dangan-Galon, Fortes, Hossain and Gaitan-Espitia. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Date Deposited:	11 Jun 2026 01:28
FoR Codes:	41 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 4102 Ecological applications > 410204 Ecosystem services (incl. pollination) @ 100%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1802 Coastal and estuarine systems and management > 180203 Coastal or estuarine biodiversity @ 100%
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