https://www.dassh.ac.uk/ipt/resource?r=seagrassspotter SeagrassSpotter.org Global Seagrass Point Dataset Project Seagrass 2026-07-11 eng Global dataset of seagrass point observations submitted through SeagrassSpotter, a citizen science platform developed and managed by Project Seagrass. Records are contributed by volunteers, researchers, practitioners and coastal users through the SeagrassSpotter website and mobile application. The dataset includes georeferenced seagrass observations and photographs, observation dates, species identifications, and where available, seagrass cover estimates , sediment type, water depth, epiphyte presence and visible threats. The dataset supports seagrass mapping, monitoring, conservation planning, public engagement and the identification of seagrass meadows in data-poor regions. SeagrassSpotter is an ongoing programme, so the dataset will continue to expand as new records are submitted. Occurrence GBIF Dataset Type Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_type_2015-07-10.xml Observation GBIF Dataset Subtype Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_subtype.xml This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International https://spdx.org/licenses/CC-BY-4.0.html CC-BY-4.0 https://seagrassspotter.org SeagrassSpotter data is collected globally by a network of >6000 citizen scientists. -172.358669 178.498868 70.111628 -46.930161 2004-05-26 2026-11-30 family Zosteraceae order Alismatales family Cymodoceaceae family Hydrocharitaceae family Posidoniaceae class Magnoliopsida family Ruppiaceae kingdom Plantae phylum Tracheophyta monthly Dr Benjamin Jones Project Seagrass Chief Conservation Officer A participant encounters seagrass and records the observation through the SeagrassSpotter mobile application or website. The participant supplies the observation location using device-based geolocation or manual map placement, records the observation date and uploads photographic evidence. The participant identifies the seagrass where possible, using their existing knowledge or the identification resources provided by SeagrassSpotter. The participant may provide additional information about the observation, including spatial accuracy, water depth, seagrass cover, substrate, meadow condition and visible threats or pressures. The submitted record is stored within the SeagrassSpotter database and reviewed for photographic evidence, taxonomic plausibility, completeness and geographic validity. Taxonomic information and occurrence fields are standardised for publication using Darwin Core. Records are corrected, assigned an appropriate level of taxonomic certainty, flagged or excluded where validation identifies a problem. Validated records are exported as georeferenced occurrence data, with links to the associated photographic evidence and any available measurements or contextual information. SeagrassSpotter is a global citizen-science programme established in 2016 to document the occurrence and distribution of seagrass. The dataset contains georeferenced observations from intertidal and subtidal coastal habitats worldwide, collected wherever participants encountered seagrass and submitted a record through the SeagrassSpotter mobile application or website. The temporal coverage is determined by the observation dates associated with individual records. Geographic and temporal sampling intensity varies according to participant activity, accessibility and awareness of the programme. The data were therefore not collected using a spatially balanced or standardised sampling design. Locations without records should not be interpreted as locations where seagrass is absent. Records were collected through opportunistic citizen-science observations. Contributors documented seagrass encountered during activities such as shore-based observations, intertidal walking, wading, snorkelling, diving or boating. For each observation, the contributor recorded a geographic location using the location services of a mobile device or by manually selecting the observation location through the web platform. Contributors also provided an observation date and uploaded one or more photographs as evidence of the occurrence. A seagrass species or other appropriate taxonomic identification was supplied where it could be determined, supported by the SeagrassSpotter identification resources. Some records contain additional information supplied by the observer, including estimated spatial accuracy, water depth, seagrass cover, substrate, meadow condition and observed threats or human pressures. The availability of these additional measurements varies among records. Each submitted sighting is represented as a point occurrence and does not define the complete spatial extent of the associated seagrass meadow. Sampling effort and detectability were not standardised among observers or locations. All SeagrassSpotter sightings are subject to a basic quality assurance and quality control process before approval. Submitted records are reviewed to check that the reported location is plausible, falls within or near the known geographic bounds of seagrass distribution, and is not clearly placed on land or in an unsuitable environment. Photographs and supporting information are also checked for obvious misidentification, including records that appear to show non-seagrass habitats, algae, terrestrial plants, or other benthic features. Where possible, species identifications are reviewed against the image provided and the known regional distribution of seagrass species. Records that cannot be confidently verified, are outside plausible seagrass distribution limits, or contain insufficient information may be rejected, queried, or retained only as unconfirmed records. Dr Benjamin Jones 0000-0002-6058-9692 pointOfContact 2026-07-11T07:02:28.539+01:00 dataset Project Seagrass (2026). 2004–ongoing SeagrassSpotter.org Global Seagrass Point Dataset. Version 1.1. Project Seagrass. Samplingevent dataset. https://www.dassh.ac.uk/ipt/resource?r=seagrassspotter&v=1.1 https://www.dassh.ac.uk/ipt/logo.do?r=seagrassspotter https://www.dassh.ac.uk/ipt/resource?id=seagrassspotter/v1.1.xml