But why exactly is seagrass vanishing? The answer ... massive algae blooms

Algae are nearly always present in natural waters, but under normal conditions they remain in balance, playing a key role in their ecosystem.

The trouble begins when nitrogen and phosphorus - from agriculture, sewage, or stormwater runoff - flow into our waterways.

Once in the water these "nutrients" act like an algae super-fertilizer, fueling unprecedented growth. These harmful algal blooms can spread for miles, turning huge swatches of once clear water murky green, brown or even red with algae. One Florida "red tide" was linked to the death of 277 manatees in 2013.

And, when an algae bloom takes hold, the effects can cascade through an entire marine ecosystem, killing far more than just seagrass and the manatees that depend on it.

These blooms can block the sunlight from ever moving past the water's surface. This can cause aquatic plant life, like seagrass, which rely on photosynthesis, to wither and die beneath the bloom. This can leave countless species, including manatees, without the critical food or habitat they rely on.

Even when these blooms finally die off, the oxygen used up in the massive decomposition process can leave entire areas of the water completely devoid of life. These areas, frequently called "dead zones," have been depleted of oxygen to such a degree that they can no longer support any major life be they fish, crab, plant or manatee.

Florida is especially vulnerable to these harmful algae blooms. Its warm, shallow waters provide perfect growing conditions for algae. And its many canals, estuaries and wetlands move slowly, allowing algae to remain static, undisturbed and growing.

Factor in decades of development, including countless paved areas, lawns, golf courses, agricultural fields and septic systems, and the state has unknowingly created a nutrient delivery system capable of feeding these blooms year after year.

Florida is losing acres upon acres of seagrass to algae blooms annually. Statewide, more than 89,000 acres of seagrass disappeared in just the past ten years, leaving manatees, and the many turtles, dolphins, seabirds, crabs and countless other species that rely on them, without their habitat.

Until we take steps to limit and reduce nutrient pollution it seems these seagrass beds, and the manatees they foster, will only stay on the decline.

The manatee die-off is tragic, but it's also a sign of bigger issues.

When a species that has survived and evolved in a place for millions of years suddenly can't find food there, then something about the health of that ecosystem is really wrong.

And this pollution doesn't just starve manatee. Red tide and other harmful blooms can leave dead fish washing ashore by the thousands. Aquatic habitats that once housed turtles, fish, dolphins, sharks and manatees are now devoid of life. Families who used to flock to Florida's waterways for fishing, boating and swimming now face beach closures and warnings about toxins in the water.

These harmful algae blooms can impact anything that enters the water, be they manatee, crab, fish or even person.