[1끊어읽기] TOEFL Reading : Seagrasses 1  

Many areas 

of the shallow sea bottom 

are covered 

with a lush growth 

of aquatic flowering plants 

adapted 

to live submerged in seawater.

These plants 

are collectively called seagrasses.

Seagrass beds are strongly influenced

by several physical factors. 

The most significant is water motion: currents and waves. 

For any given seagrass systems exist 

in both sheltered 

and relatively open areas, 

they are subject to differing amounts 

of water motion.

For any given seagrass system, 

however, 

the water motion is relatively constant.

Seagrass meadows 

in relatively turbulent waters 

tend to form flat,

extensive carpets.

The seagrass beds, 

in turn, 

dampen 

wave action, 

particularly if the blades reach the water surface.

This damping effect can be significant 

to the point where just one meter 

into a seagrass bed, 

the wave motion can be reduced to zero.