Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University (HBOI-FAU) has conducted world class research in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and around the world for over 50 years. At this Lagoon at Noon lecture, Rachel Brewton, HBOI-FAU Assistant Research Professor, discusses variability in the abundance and ecology of seagrass and seaweeds in the IRL, and describes the role of the HBOI-FAU Seagrass Nursery in upcoming restoration efforts. She also covers what these aquatic plants can tell us about the health of a marine ecosystem and what might be driving the changes in abundance that have been observed in the IRL.