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Ndhlovu A, Adams JB, von der Heyden S. Large-scale environmental signals in seagrass blue carbon stocks are hidden by high variability at local scales. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:170917. [PMID: 38367728 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Increasing focus on nature-based climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies has led to the recognition of seagrasses as globally significant organic carbon (Corg) stocks. However, estimates of carbon stocks have been generally confined to a few regions, with few African studies represented in global datasets. In addition, the extent to which biogeographical and environmental variation shape carbon stocks in marine vegetated environments remains uncertain. For South Africa, Zostera capensis is the dominant seagrass species with limited mapping and quantification of its Corg stocks. Here, we measured Z. capensis Corg stocks at six South African estuaries spanning ∼1800 km of the cool-temperate to subtropical marine environmental gradient. Targeting the intertidal zone of the upper and lower estuary reaches, we collected Z. capensis sediments to a depth of 50 cm and measured the Corg, with the median Corg stock estimated at 24.11 Mg C ha-1 (40.4 ± 53.02; mean ± SD). While this is lower than the global average, these data demonstrate that Z. capensis ecosystems are important contributors to blue carbon stocks in the region. Measured Corg stocks showed significant differences between sampling sites for estuaries; however, we did not detect significant differences between estuaries due to high intra-estuarine Corg variability. Examination of biogeographical regions, terrestrial and marine environmental variables as drivers of Corg variability revealed that annual mean sea surface temperature may explain variation in Corg stocks. Furthermore, we found evidence of signals of biogeographical regions and precipitation driving some of the variability in Corg stocks; however, this requires further investigation. Overall, our estimates for Z. capensis add to ongoing national and global efforts to quantify seagrass Corg stocks across environmental and biogeographic gradients to better determine their contributions as nature-based solutions to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Ndhlovu
- School for Climate Studies, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa; Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Provate Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa.
| | - Janine Barbara Adams
- DSI-NRF Research Chair in Shallow Water Ecosystems, Department of Botany, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa; Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
| | - Sophie von der Heyden
- School for Climate Studies, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa; Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Provate Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa
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Lin CW, Lin WJ, Ho CW, Kao YC, Yong ZJ, Lin HJ. Flushing emissions of methane and carbon dioxide from mangrove soils during tidal cycles. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 919:170768. [PMID: 38340838 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Mangroves are transition areas connecting land, freshwater, and the ocean, where a great amount of organic carbon accumulates in the soil, forming a considerable carbon sink. However, the soil might also be a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study hypothesized that measuring GHG emissions solely during low tides can represent diurnal GHG emissions in mangroves. Methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were quantified during tidal cycles using an ultraportable gas analyzer in Kandelia obovata (without pneumatophores) and Avicennia marina (with pneumatophores) mangroves in summer and fall. The results showed that the CH4 fluxes varied greatly during tidal cycles, from -1.25 to 96.24 μmol CH4 m-2 h-1 for K. obovata and from 2.86 to 2662.00 μmol CH4 m-2 h-1 for A. marina. The CO2 fluxes ranged from -4.23 to 20.65 mmol CO2 m-2 h-1 for K. obovata and from 0.09 to 24.69 mmol CO2 m-2 h-1 for A. marina. The diurnal variation in GHG levels in mangroves is predominantly driven by tidal cycles. The peak emissions of CH4 and CO2 were noted at the beginning of the flooding tide, rather than during daytime or nighttime. While the patterns of the CO2 fluxes during tidal cycles were similar between K. obovata and A. marina mangroves, their CH4 flux patterns during the tidal cycles differed. Possibly due to different transport mechanisms, CO2 emissions are primarily influenced by surface soils, whereas CH4 is predominantly emitted from deeper soils, thus being influenced by root structures. To reduce the uncertainty in measuring GHG emissions in mangrove soils during a tidal cycle, it is advisable to increase the number of GHG flux measurements during the period spanning 30 min before and after the beginning of the flooding and ebbing tides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiao-Wen Lin
- Department of Marine Environment and Engineering, The Center for Water Resources Studies, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan.
| | - Wei-Jen Lin
- Department of Life Sciences and Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
| | - Chuan-Wen Ho
- Department of Life Sciences and Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chen Kao
- Department of Life Sciences and Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
| | - Zhao-Jun Yong
- Department of Life Sciences and Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Juh Lin
- Department of Life Sciences and Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.
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Adomako MO, Wu J, Lu Y, Adu D, Seshie VI, Yu FH. Potential synergy of microplastics and nitrogen enrichment on plant holobionts in wetland ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 915:170160. [PMID: 38244627 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Wetland ecosystems are global hotspots for environmental contaminants, including microplastics (MPs) and nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). While MP and nutrient effects on host plants and their associated microbial communities at the individual level have been studied, their synergistic effects on a plant holobiont (i.e., a plant host plus its microbiota, such as bacteria and fungi) in wetland ecosystems are nearly unknown. As an ecological entity, plant holobionts play pivotal roles in biological nitrogen fixation, promote plant resilience and defense chemistry against pathogens, and enhance biogeochemical processes. We summarize evidence based on recent literature to elaborate on the potential synergy of MPs and nutrient enrichment on plant holobionts in wetland ecosystems. We provide a conceptual framework to explain the interplay of MPs, nutrients, and plant holobionts and discuss major pathways of MPs and nutrients into the wetland milieu. Moreover, we highlight the ecological consequences of loss of plant holobionts in wetland ecosystems and conclude with recommendations for pending questions that warrant urgent research. We found that nutrient enrichment promotes the recruitment of MPs-degraded microorganisms and accelerates microbially mediated degradation of MPs, modifying their distribution and toxicity impacts on plant holobionts in wetland ecosystems. Moreover, a loss of wetland plant holobionts via long-term MP-nutrient interactions may likely exacerbate the disruption of wetland ecosystems' capacity to offer nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation through soil organic C sequestration. In conclusion, MP and nutrient enrichment interactions represent a severe ecological risk that can disorganize plant holobionts and their taxonomic roles, leading to dysbiosis (i.e., the disintegration of a stable plant microbiome) and diminishing wetland ecosystems' integrity and multifunctionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Opoku Adomako
- Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China; School of Life Science, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China; School of Life Science, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
| | - Ying Lu
- School of Life Science, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
| | - Daniel Adu
- School of Management Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhejiang 212013, Jiangsu, China
| | - Vivian Isabella Seshie
- Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering, University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, Ghana
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China; School of Life Science, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China.
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Zhang J, Hao Q, Li Q, Zhao X, Fu X, Wang W, He D, Li Y, Zhang Z, Zhang X, Song Z. Source identification of sedimentary organic carbon in coastal wetlands of the western Bohai Sea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 913:169282. [PMID: 38141989 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Coastal wetlands play a vital role in mitigating climate change, yet the characteristics of buried organic carbon (OC) and carbon cycling are limited due to difficulties in assessing the composition of OC from different sources (allochthonous vs. autochthonous). In this study, we analyzed the total organic carbon (TOC) to total nitrogen (TN) ratio (C/N), stable carbon isotope (δ13C) composition, and n-alkane content to distinguish different sources of OC in the surface sediments of the coastal wetlands on the western coast of the Bohai Sea. The coupling of the C/N ratio with δ13C and n-alkane biomarkers has been proved to be an effective tool for revealing OC sources. The three end-member Bayesian mixing model based on coupling C/N ratios with δ13C showed that the sedimentary OC was dominated by the contribution of terrestrial particulate organic matter (POM), followed by freshwater algae and marine phytoplankton, with relative contributions of 47 ± 21 %, 41 ± 18 % and 12 ± 17 %, respectively. The relative contributions of terrestrial plants, aquatic macrophytes and marine phytoplankton assessed by n-alkanes were 56 ± 8 %, 35 ± 9 % and 9 ± 5 % in the study area, respectively. The relatively high salinity levels and strong hydrodynamic conditions of the Beidagang Reservoir led to higher terrestrial plants source and lower aquatic macrophytes source than these of Qilihai Reservoir based on the assessment of n-alkanes. Both methods showed that sedimentary OC was mainly derived from terrestrial sources (plant-dominated), suggesting that vegetation plays a crucial role in storing carbon in coastal wetlands, thus, the coastal vegetation management needs to be strengthened in the future. Our findings provide insights into the origins and dynamics of OC in coastal wetlands on the western coast of the Bohai Sea and a significant scientific basis for future monitoring of the blue carbon budget balance in coastal wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juqin Zhang
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Qian Hao
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Qiang Li
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xiangwei Zhao
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xiaoli Fu
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Weiqi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Humid Sub-tropical Eco-geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, China
| | - Ding He
- Department of Ocean Science and Center for Ocean Research in Hong Kong and Macau, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yuan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Zhenqing Zhang
- School of Geographic and Environmental Sciences, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environment, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China; Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Zhaoliang Song
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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Hui TKL, Lo ICN, Wong KKW, Tsang CTT, Tsang LM. Metagenomic analysis of gut microbiome illuminates the mechanisms and evolution of lignocellulose degradation in mangrove herbivorous crabs. BMC Microbiol 2024; 24:57. [PMID: 38350856 PMCID: PMC10863281 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-024-03209-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sesarmid crabs dominate mangrove habitats as the major primary consumers, which facilitates the trophic link and nutrient recycling in the ecosystem. Therefore, the adaptations and mechanisms of sesarmid crabs to herbivory are not only crucial to terrestrialization and its evolutionary success, but also to the healthy functioning of mangrove ecosystems. Although endogenous cellulase expressions were reported in crabs, it remains unknown if endogenous enzymes alone can complete the whole lignocellulolytic pathway, or if they also depend on the contribution from the intestinal microbiome. We attempt to investigate the role of gut symbiotic microbes of mangrove-feeding sesarmid crabs in plant digestion using a comparative metagenomic approach. RESULTS Metagenomics analyses on 43 crab gut samples from 23 species of mangrove crabs with different dietary preferences revealed a wide coverage of 127 CAZy families and nine KOs targeting lignocellulose and their derivatives in all species analyzed, including predominantly carnivorous species, suggesting the crab gut microbiomes have lignocellulolytic capacity regardless of dietary preference. Microbial cellulase, hemicellulase and pectinase genes in herbivorous and detritivorous crabs were differentially more abundant when compared to omnivorous and carnivorous crabs, indicating the importance of gut symbionts in lignocellulose degradation and the enrichment of lignocellulolytic microbes in response to diet with higher lignocellulose content. Herbivorous and detritivorous crabs showed highly similar CAZyme composition despite dissimilarities in taxonomic profiles observed in both groups, suggesting a stronger selection force on gut microbiota by functional capacity than by taxonomy. The gut microbiota in herbivorous sesarmid crabs were also enriched with nitrogen reduction and fixation genes, implying possible roles of gut microbiota in supplementing nitrogen that is deficient in plant diet. CONCLUSIONS Endosymbiotic microbes play an important role in lignocellulose degradation in most crab species. Their abundance is strongly correlated with dietary preference, and they are highly enriched in herbivorous sesarmids, thus enhancing their capacity in digesting mangrove leaves. Dietary preference is a stronger driver in determining the microbial CAZyme composition and taxonomic profile in the crab microbiome, resulting in functional redundancy of endosymbiotic microbes. Our results showed that crabs implement a mixed mode of digestion utilizing both endogenous and microbial enzymes in lignocellulose degradation, as observed in most of the more advanced herbivorous invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Kwok Lun Hui
- Simon F. S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Irene Ching Nam Lo
- Simon F. S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Karen Ka Wing Wong
- Simon F. S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chandler Tsz To Tsang
- Simon F. S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ling Ming Tsang
- Simon F. S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
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Fu C, Li Y, Zeng L, Tu C, Wang X, Ma H, Xiao L, Christie P, Luo Y. Climate and mineral accretion as drivers of mineral-associated and particulate organic matter accumulation in tidal wetland soils. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17070. [PMID: 38273549 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Tidal wetlands sequester vast amounts of organic carbon (OC) and enhance soil accretion. The conservation and restoration of these ecosystems is becoming increasingly geared toward "blue" carbon sequestration while obtaining additional benefits, such as buffering sea-level rise and enhancing biodiversity. However, the assessments of blue carbon sequestration focus primarily on bulk SOC inventories and often neglect OC fractions and their drivers; this limits our understanding of the mechanisms controlling OC storage and opportunities to enhance blue carbon sinks. Here, we determined mineral-associated and particulate organic matter (MAOM and POM, respectively) in 99 surface soils and 40 soil cores collected from Chinese mangrove and saltmarsh habitats across a broad range of climates and accretion rates and showed how previously unrecognized mechanisms of climate and mineral accretion regulated MAOM and POM accumulation in tidal wetlands. MAOM concentrations (8.0 ± 5.7 g C kg-1 ) (±standard deviation) were significantly higher than POM concentrations (4.2 ± 5.7 g C kg-1 ) across the different soil depths and habitats. MAOM contributed over 51.6 ± 24.9% and 78.9 ± 19.0% to OC in mangrove and saltmarsh soils, respectively; both exhibited lower autochthonous contributions but higher contributions from terrestrial or marine sources than POM, which was derived primarily from autochthonous sources. Increased input of plant-derived organic matter along the increased temperature and precipitation gradients significantly enriched the POM concentrations. In contrast, the MAOM concentrations depended on climate, which controlled the mineral reactivity and mineral-OC interactions, and on regional sedimentary processes that could redistribute the reactive minerals. Mineral accretion diluted the POM concentrations and potentially enhanced the MAOM concentrations depending on mineral composition and whether the mineral accretion benefited plant productivity. Therefore, management strategies should comprehensively consider regional climate while regulating sediment supply and mineral abundance with engineering solutions to tap the OC sink potential of tidal wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuancheng Fu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Marine Science Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yuan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China
| | - Lin Zeng
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Chen Tu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China
| | - Haiqing Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China
| | - Leilei Xiao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China
| | - Peter Christie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongming Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Sierra A, Correia C, Ortega T, Forja J, Rodrigues M, Cravo A. Dynamics of CO 2, CH 4, and N 2O in Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (southwestern Iberia) and export to the Gulf of Cadiz. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167094. [PMID: 37734615 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
A first characterization of greenhouse gases had been carried out to study their role and impact in a productive transitional coastal system of the southern Portugal - Ria Formosa lagoon. To this purpose, the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and the concentration of dissolved CH4 and N2O have been measured. Two surveys were carried out during 2020, at low tide under typical conditions of Spring (March) and end of Summer (October). The samplings sites were distributed along the costal lagoon covering: i) inner areas with strong human impact (influence of different flows of treated wastewater discharges); and ii) main channels in connection with the main inlets to study the exchanges with the ocean. In general, the highest values of the three greenhouse gases were found at the inner studied areas, especially affected by the disposal of treated effluents from wastewater treatment plans, in October. The mean water - atmosphere fluxes of the CO2, CH4 and N2O are positive, showing that the study area acts as a source of these gases to the atmosphere. On the other hand, it was calculated a rough estimation of the three gases globally exported from Ria Formosa to the ocean, through the main six inlets to evaluate the magnitude of the supply of these gases from Ria Formosa to the adjacent ocean. The mean CO2, CH4 and N2O horizontal water fluxes exported from all the inlets of Ria Formosa to the Gulf of Cadiz for both seasons, during low water, are 8.7 ± 3.9 mmol m-2 s-1, 8.0 ± 3.5 μmol m-2 s-1 and 3.2 ± 1.5 μmol m-2 s-1, which corresponds to a mass transport through the inlets section of 0.7 ± 0.7 kg s-1, 0.2 ± 0.2 g s-1 and 0.2 ± 0.3 g s-1 respectively. From these estimates, as expected, the higher mass transport was found at the larger and deeper inlets (Faro-Olhão and Armona).
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sierra
- Dpto. Química-Física, INMAR, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus Universitario Río San Pedro, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain.
| | - C Correia
- FCT, CIMA, Centre of Marine and Environmental Research\ARNET - Infrastructure Network in Aquatic Research, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8000-139 Faro, Portugal.
| | - T Ortega
- Dpto. Química-Física, INMAR, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus Universitario Río San Pedro, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain.
| | - J Forja
- Dpto. Química-Física, INMAR, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus Universitario Río San Pedro, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain.
| | - M Rodrigues
- Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil, Avenida do Brasil, 101, 1700-066 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - A Cravo
- FCT, CIMA, Centre of Marine and Environmental Research\ARNET - Infrastructure Network in Aquatic Research, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8000-139 Faro, Portugal.
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Stankovic M, Mishra AK, Rahayu YP, Lefcheck J, Murdiyarso D, Friess DA, Corkalo M, Vukovic T, Vanderklift MA, Farooq SH, Gaitan-Espitia JD, Prathep A. Blue carbon assessments of seagrass and mangrove ecosystems in South and Southeast Asia: Current progress and knowledge gaps. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166618. [PMID: 37643707 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Coastal blue carbon ecosystems can be an important nature-based solution for mitigating climate change, when emphasis is given to their protection, management, and restoration. Globally, there has been a rapid increase in blue carbon research in the last few decades, with substantial investments on national scales by the European Union, the USA, Australia, Seychelles, and Belize. Blue carbon ecosystems in South and Southeast Asia are globally diverse, highly productive and could represent a global hotspot for carbon sequestration and storage. To guide future efforts, we conducted a systematic review of the available literature on two primary blue carbon ecosystems-seagrasses and mangroves-across 13 countries in South and Southeast Asia to assess existing national inventories, review current research trends and methodologies, and identify existing knowledge gaps. Information related to various aspects of seagrass and mangrove ecosystems was extracted from 432 research articles from 1967 to 2022. We find that: (1) blue carbon estimates in several countries have limited data, especially for seagrass meadows compared to mangrove ecosystems, although the highest reported carbon stocks were in Indonesia and the Philippines with 4,515 and 707 Tg within mangrove forest and 60.9 and 63.3 Tg within seagrass meadows, respectively; (2) there is a high difference in the quantity and quality of data between mangrove and seagrass ecosystems, and the methodologies used for blue carbon estimates are highly variable across countries; and (3) most studies on blue carbon stocks are spatially biased towards more familiar study areas of individual countries, than several lesser-known suspected blue carbon hotspots. In sum, our review demonstrates the paucity and variability in current research in the region, and highlights research frontiers that should be addressed by future research before the robust implementation of these ecosystems into national climate strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Stankovic
- Excellence Center for Biodiversity of Peninsular Thailand, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand; Field Marine Station, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand.
| | - Amrit Kumar Mishra
- The SWIRE Institute of Marine Sciences and the School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, S.A.R., China; School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Argul, Khurda, Odisha, India.
| | - Yusmiana P Rahayu
- School of Biological Sciences and Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; Research Center for Conservation of Marine and Inland Water Resources, National Research and Innovation Agency, the Republic of Indonesia, Soekarno Science and Technology Area, Jl. Raya Bogor Km 46, Cibinong, Bogor 16911, Indonesia.
| | - Jonathan Lefcheck
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, MD 21613, USA.
| | - Daniel Murdiyarso
- Center for International Forestry Research - World Agroforestry Centre, Jl. CIFOR, Situ Gede, Sindang Barang, Bogor 16115, Indonesia; Department of Geophysics and Meteorology, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia.
| | - Daniel A Friess
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA.
| | - Marko Corkalo
- Department of Biology, Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Teodora Vukovic
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 3, 2100 Novi Sad, Serbia.
| | - Mathew A Vanderklift
- CSIRO Environment, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - Syed Hilal Farooq
- School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Argul, Khurda, Odisha, India.
| | - Juan Diego Gaitan-Espitia
- The SWIRE Institute of Marine Sciences and the School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, S.A.R., China; Institute for Climate and Carbon Neutrality, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
| | - Anchana Prathep
- Excellence Center for Biodiversity of Peninsular Thailand, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand; Divison of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand.
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9
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Crespo D, Faião R, Freitas V, Oliveira VH, Sousa AI, Coelho JP, Dolbeth M. Using seagrass as a nature-based solution: Short-term effects of Zostera noltei transplant in benthic communities of a European Atlantic coastal lagoon. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 197:115762. [PMID: 37979526 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Seagrass meadows provide several ecological functions that improve the overall ecological health of coastal systems and therefore, it is urgent to promote the restoration of such habitats. In Ria de Aveiro, a coastal lagoon in the Atlantic Coast of Portugal, a restoration initiative was responsible for transplanting the dwarf eelgrass Zostera noltei into a highly degraded area. This eelgrass was used as a nature-based solution (NbS) to mitigate some of the impacts of historical mercury contamination. Comparisons of key-species features (density and biomass), and some community-derived indicators (total density and biomass, species richness and Shannon-Wiener index) between the transplanted seagrass patch, their bare vicinities, and their counterpart habitats on the source area, provided signs of the effectiveness of the restoration action on the benthic communities' recovery. Indicators were higher within the restored meadow, and biomass derived indicators of the restored meadow were similar to the source meadow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Crespo
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Novo Edifício do Terminal de Cruzeiros, Avenida General Norton de Matos S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Rita Faião
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Novo Edifício do Terminal de Cruzeiros, Avenida General Norton de Matos S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Vânia Freitas
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Novo Edifício do Terminal de Cruzeiros, Avenida General Norton de Matos S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal.
| | - Vitor Hugo Oliveira
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Ana I Sousa
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - João Pedro Coelho
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Marina Dolbeth
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Novo Edifício do Terminal de Cruzeiros, Avenida General Norton de Matos S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal.
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10
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Maxwell TL, Rovai AS, Adame MF, Adams JB, Álvarez-Rogel J, Austin WEN, Beasy K, Boscutti F, Böttcher ME, Bouma TJ, Bulmer RH, Burden A, Burke SA, Camacho S, Chaudhary DR, Chmura GL, Copertino M, Cott GM, Craft C, Day J, de Los Santos CB, Denis L, Ding W, Ellison JC, Ewers Lewis CJ, Giani L, Gispert M, Gontharet S, González-Pérez JA, González-Alcaraz MN, Gorham C, Graversen AEL, Grey A, Guerra R, He Q, Holmquist JR, Jones AR, Juanes JA, Kelleher BP, Kohfeld KE, Krause-Jensen D, Lafratta A, Lavery PS, Laws EA, Leiva-Dueñas C, Loh PS, Lovelock CE, Lundquist CJ, Macreadie PI, Mazarrasa I, Megonigal JP, Neto JM, Nogueira J, Osland MJ, Pagès JF, Perera N, Pfeiffer EM, Pollmann T, Raw JL, Recio M, Ruiz-Fernández AC, Russell SK, Rybczyk JM, Sammul M, Sanders C, Santos R, Serrano O, Siewert M, Smeaton C, Song Z, Trasar-Cepeda C, Twilley RR, Van de Broek M, Vitti S, Antisari LV, Voltz B, Wails CN, Ward RD, Ward M, Wolfe J, Yang R, Zubrzycki S, Landis E, Smart L, Spalding M, Worthington TA. Global dataset of soil organic carbon in tidal marshes. Sci Data 2023; 10:797. [PMID: 37952023 PMCID: PMC10640612 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02633-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Tidal marshes store large amounts of organic carbon in their soils. Field data quantifying soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks provide an important resource for researchers, natural resource managers, and policy-makers working towards the protection, restoration, and valuation of these ecosystems. We collated a global dataset of tidal marsh soil organic carbon (MarSOC) from 99 studies that includes location, soil depth, site name, dry bulk density, SOC, and/or soil organic matter (SOM). The MarSOC dataset includes 17,454 data points from 2,329 unique locations, and 29 countries. We generated a general transfer function for the conversion of SOM to SOC. Using this data we estimated a median (± median absolute deviation) value of 79.2 ± 38.1 Mg SOC ha-1 in the top 30 cm and 231 ± 134 Mg SOC ha-1 in the top 1 m of tidal marsh soils globally. This data can serve as a basis for future work, and may contribute to incorporation of tidal marsh ecosystems into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and policies.
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Grants
- W912HZ2020070 United States Department of Defense | United States Army | US Army Corps of Engineers | Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center)
- 84375 NRF | South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA)
- The Nature Conservancy through the Bezos Earth Fund and other donor support
- Nelson Mandela University
- State Research Agency of Spain (AEI; CGL2007-64915), the Mancomunidad de los Canales del Taibilla (MCT), and the Science and Technology Agency of the Murcia Region (Seneca Foundation; 00593/PI/04 & 08739/PI/08).
- Scottish Government and UK Natural Environment Research Council C-SIDE project (grant NE/R010846/1)
- COOLSTYLE/CARBOSTORE project
- New Zealand Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment Contract #C01X2109
- Portuguese national funds from FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology through projects UIDB/04326/2020, UIDP/04326/2020, LA/P/0101/2020, and 2020.03825.CEECIND
- German Research Foundation (DFG project number: GI 171/25-1)
- State Research Agency of Spain (AEI; CGL2007-64915), the Mancomunidad de los Canales del Taibilla (MCT), the Science and Technology Agency of the Murcia Region (Seneca Foundation; 00593/PI/04 & 08739/PI/08), and a Ramón y Cajal contract from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (RYC2020-029322-I)
- Velux foundation (#28421, Blå Skove – Havets Skove som kulstofdræn)
- LIFE ADAPTA BLUES project Ref. LIFE18 CCA/ES/001160
- LIFE ADAPTA BLUES project Ref. LIFE18 CCA/ES/001160, support of national funds through Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT), under the projects UIDB/04292/2020, UIDP/04292/2020, granted to MARE, and LA/P/0069/2020, granted to the Associate Laboratory ARNET
- Financial support provided by the Welsh Government and Higher Education Funding Council for Wales through the Sêr Cymru National Research Network for Low Carbon, Energy and Environment; as well as the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (project PID2020-113745RB-I00) and FEDER
- South African Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)—National Research Foundation (NRF) Research Chair in Shallow Water Ecosystems (UID: 84375), and the Nelson Mandela University
- I+D+i projects RYC2019-027073-I and PIE HOLOCENO 20213AT014 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and FEDER
- Funding support from the Scottish Government and UK Natural Environment Research Council C-SIDE project (grant NE/R010846/1)
- Xunta de Galicia (GRC project IN607A 2021-06)
- U.S. Army Engineering, Research and Development Center (ACTIONS project, W912HZ2020070)
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania L Maxwell
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Biodiversity and Natural Resources Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria.
| | - André S Rovai
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
- US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS, 39183, USA.
| | - Maria Fernanda Adame
- Australian Rivers Institute, Centre for Marine and Coastal Research, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4117, Australia
| | - Janine B Adams
- DSI-NRF Research Chair in Shallow Water Ecosystems, Institute for Coastal Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Gqeberha, 6031, South Africa
| | - José Álvarez-Rogel
- Department of Agricultural Engineering of the E.T.S.I.A. and Soil Ecology and Biotechnology Unit of the I.B.V., Technical University of Cartagena, 30203, Cartagena, Spain
| | - William E N Austin
- School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews, KY16 9AL, St Andrews, UK
- Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Argyll, PA37 1QA, UK
| | - Kim Beasy
- College of Arts, Law and Education, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, 7005, Australia
| | - Francesco Boscutti
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, via delle Scienze 206, Udine, 33100, Italy
| | - Michael E Böttcher
- Geochemistry and Isotope Biogeochemistry Group, Department of Marine Geology, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (IOW), Seestrasse 15, D-18119, Warnemünde, Germany
- Marine Geochemistry, University of Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn Str. 17a, D-17489, Greifswald, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Faculty, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Strase 21, D-18059, Rostock, Germany
| | - Tjeerd J Bouma
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), 4401 NT, Yerseke, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Geosciences, Department of Physical Geography, Utrecht University, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Delta Academy Applied Research Centre, HZ University of Applied Sciences, Postbus 364, 4380 AJ, Vlissingen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Shannon A Burke
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, D04 V1W8, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Saritta Camacho
- CIMA - Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Faro, Portugal
| | | | - Gail L Chmura
- McGill University Department of Geography, Montreal, Canada
| | - Margareth Copertino
- Institute of Oceanography - Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Brazil
- Brazilian Network for Global Change Studies - Rede CLIMA, Rio Grande, Brazil
| | - Grace M Cott
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, D04 V1W8, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Christopher Craft
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA
- University of Georgia Marine Institute, Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA
| | - John Day
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | | | - Lionel Denis
- Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, CNRS, Univ. Lille, UMR 8187 - LOG - Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, 32, Avenue Foch, F-62930, Wimereux, France
| | - Weixin Ding
- Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Joanna C Ellison
- School of Geography, Planning Spatial Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, 7250, Australia
| | - Carolyn J Ewers Lewis
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, 221 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903, USA
| | - Luise Giani
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstrase 114-118, D-26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Maria Gispert
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Agriculture and Food Technology, Universitat de Girona, 17003, Girona, Spain
| | - Swanne Gontharet
- LOCEAN UMR 7159 Sorbonne Université/CNRS/IRD/MNHN, 4 place Jussieu - boite 100, F-75252, Paris, France
| | | | - M Nazaret González-Alcaraz
- Department of Agricultural Engineering of the E.T.S.I.A. and Soil Ecology and Biotechnology Unit of the I.B.V., Technical University of Cartagena, 30203, Cartagena, Spain
| | - Connor Gorham
- School of Sciences Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | | | - Anthony Grey
- School of Chemical Science, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Roberta Guerra
- Department of Physics and Astronomy (DIFA), Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Qiang He
- Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Alice R Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
- The Environment Institute, Adelaide, Australia
| | - José A Juanes
- IHCantabria, Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la Universidad de Cantabria, PCTCAN, 39011, Santander, Spain
| | - Brian P Kelleher
- School of Chemical Science, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Karen E Kohfeld
- School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada
- School of Environmental Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | | | - Anna Lafratta
- School of Sciences Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Paul S Lavery
- School of Sciences Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEAB-CSIC), 17300, Blanes, Catalunya, Spain
| | - Edward A Laws
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA
| | | | | | | | - Carolyn J Lundquist
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Hamilton, 3251, New Zealand
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, New Zealand, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Peter I Macreadie
- Deakin University, Centre for Marine Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Burwood, Victoria, 3125, Australia
| | - Inés Mazarrasa
- IHCantabria, Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la Universidad de Cantabria, PCTCAN, 39011, Santander, Spain
| | | | - Joao M Neto
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Juliana Nogueira
- LARAMG - Radioecology and Climate Change Laboratory, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, 20550-013, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michael J Osland
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, Louisiana, 70506, USA
| | - Jordi F Pagès
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEAB-CSIC), 17300, Blanes, Catalunya, Spain
| | - Nipuni Perera
- Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences, University of Colombo, Colombo, 03, Sri Lanka
| | | | - Thomas Pollmann
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstrase 114-118, D-26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Jacqueline L Raw
- DSI-NRF Research Chair in Shallow Water Ecosystems, Institute for Coastal Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Gqeberha, 6031, South Africa
| | - María Recio
- IHCantabria, Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la Universidad de Cantabria, PCTCAN, 39011, Santander, Spain
| | - Ana Carolina Ruiz-Fernández
- Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Sophie K Russell
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
- The Environment Institute, Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Marek Sammul
- Elva Gymnasium, Puiestee 2, Elva, 61505, Estonia
| | - Christian Sanders
- National Marine Science Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, P.O. Box 157, Coffs Harbour, NSW, 2540, Australia
| | - Rui Santos
- Centre of Marine Sciences of Algarve, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Oscar Serrano
- School of Sciences Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEAB-CSIC), 17300, Blanes, Catalunya, Spain
| | - Matthias Siewert
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Craig Smeaton
- School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews, KY16 9AL, St Andrews, UK
| | - Zhaoliang Song
- School of Earth System Science, Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Carmen Trasar-Cepeda
- Departamento de Suelos, Biosistemas y Ecología Agroforestal, MBG sede Santiago (CSIC), Apartado 122, E-15780, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Robert R Twilley
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Marijn Van de Broek
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Stefano Vitti
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, via delle Scienze 206, Udine, 33100, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 10, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Livia Vittori Antisari
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-alimentari, Viale G. Fanin, 40 - 40127, Bologna, Italy
| | - Baptiste Voltz
- Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, CNRS, Univ. Lille, UMR 8187 - LOG - Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, 32, Avenue Foch, F-62930, Wimereux, France
| | - Christy N Wails
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA
| | - Raymond D Ward
- Centre For Aquatic Environments, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, BN2 4GJ, UK
- Institute of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Estonia University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, EE-51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Melissa Ward
- University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- San Diego State University, San Diego, USA
| | - Jaxine Wolfe
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, USA
| | - Renmin Yang
- School of Earth System Science, Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Sebastian Zubrzycki
- Center of Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN), Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Lindsey Smart
- The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA, USA
- Center for Geospatial Analytics, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, 2800 Faucette Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Mark Spalding
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- The Nature Conservancy, Strada delle Tolfe, 14, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Thomas A Worthington
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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11
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Hamylton S, Kelleway J, Rogers K, McLean R, Tynan ZN, Repina O. Mangrove expansion on the low wooded islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231183. [PMID: 37909075 PMCID: PMC10618860 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mangrove forests are the dominant vegetation growing on low wooded islands, which occur in the Caribbean, Indian and Pacific Oceans. In the northern Great Barrier Reef, we map remarkable, undocumented mangrove forest extension on 10 low wooded islands in the Howick Group that collectively equates to an area of 667 000 m2 (66.7 ha). We combine extensive field survey with canopy height models derived from RPA imagery and allometric scaling to quantify above ground biomass in both old (pre-1973) and new (post-1973) forest areas. Forest expansion added approximately 10 233 tonnes of new biomass since the early 1970s. We suggest that such substantial expansion of mangrove forest has occurred within a short time span in response to changing environmental controls. These may include sea-level rise, sediment transport and deposition, cyclone impact and the development of associated reef flat sedimentary landforms including unconsolidated and lithified shingle ridges, which influence reef flat hydrodynamics. Our observations highlight the globally dynamic response of mangrove distribution and forest structure to environmental change and provide timely new estimates from understudied reef island settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hamylton
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
| | - Jeff Kelleway
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
| | - Kerrylee Rogers
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
| | - Roger McLean
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Zachary Nagel Tynan
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
| | - Oxana Repina
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
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12
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Saavedra-Hortua D, Nagelkerken I, Estupinan-Suarez LM, Gillis LG. Effects of connectivity on carbon and nitrogen stocks in mangrove and seagrass ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 896:164829. [PMID: 37327886 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Seascape connectivity increases carbon and nitrogen exchange across coastal ecosystems through flow of particulate organic matter (POM). However, there are still critical gaps in knowledge about the drivers that mediate these processes, especially at regional seascape scales. The aim of this study was to associate three seascape-level drivers which could influence carbon and nitrogen stocks in intertidal coastal seascape: connectivity between ecosystems, ecosystem surface area, and standing vegetation biomass of ecosystems. Firstly, we compared whether connected mangrove and seagrass ecosystems contain larger carbon and nitrogen storage than isolated mangrove and seagrass ecosystems. Secondly, we compared autochthonous and allochthonous POM in mangrove patches and seagrass beds, simultaneously estimating the area and biomass relative contribution to POM of the different coastal vegetated ecosystem. Connected vs isolated mangrove and seagrass ecosystems were studied at six locations in a temperate seascape, and their carbon and nitrogen content in the standing vegetation biomass and sediments were measured. POM contributions of these and surrounding ecosystems were determined using stable isotopic tracers. In connected mangrove-seagrass seascapes, mangroves occupied 3 % of total coastal ecosystem surface area, however, their standing biomass carbon content and nitrogen per unit area was 9-12 times higher than seagrasses and twice as high as macroalgal beds (both in connected and isolated seascapes). Additionally in connected mangrove-seagrass seascapes, the largest contributors to POM were mangroves (10-50 %) and macroalgal beds (20-50 %). In isolated seagrasses, seagrass (37-77 %) and macroalgal thalli (9-43 %) contributed the most, whilst in the isolated mangrove, salt marshes were the main contributor (17-47 %). Seagrass connectivity enhances mangrove carbon sequestration per unit area, whilst internal attributes enhance seagrass carbon sequestration. Mangroves and macroalgal beds are potential critical contributors of nitrogen and carbon to other ecosystems. Considering all ecosystems as a continuing system with seascape-level connectivity will support management and improve knowledge of critical ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Saavedra-Hortua
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) Fahrenheitstraße 6, 28359 Bremen GmbH, Germany; ecosecurities, Rue de la Faïencerie 2, 1227, Carouge, Switzerland.
| | - Ivan Nagelkerken
- Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, DX 650 418, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
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Duarte de Paula Costa M, Adame MF, Bryant CV, Hill J, Kelleway JJ, Lovelock CE, Ola A, Rasheed MA, Salinas C, Serrano O, Waltham N, York PH, Young M, Macreadie P. Quantifying blue carbon stocks and the role of protected areas to conserve coastal wetlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 874:162518. [PMID: 36870497 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Vegetated coastal ecosystems, in particular mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrasses are highly efficient at sequestering and storing carbon, making them valuable assets for climate change mitigation and adaptation. The state of Queensland, in northeastern Australia, contains almost half of the total area of these blue carbon ecosystems in the country, yet there are few detailed regional or state-wide assessments of their total sedimentary organic carbon (SOC) stocks. We compiled existing SOC data and used boosted regression tree models to evaluate the influence of environmental variables in explaining the variability in SOC stocks, and to produce spatially explicit blue carbon estimates. The final models explained 75 % (for mangroves and tidal marshes) and 65 % (for seagrasses) of the variability in SOC stocks. Total SOC stocks in the state of Queensland were estimated at 569 ± 98 Tg C (173 ± 32 Tg C, 232 ± 50 Tg C, and 164 ± 16 Tg C from mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrasses, respectively). Regional predictions for each of Queensland's eleven Natural Resource Management regions revealed that 60 % of the state's SOC stocks occurred within three regions (Cape York, Torres Strait and Southern Gulf Natural Resource Management regions) due to a combination of high values of SOC stocks and large areas of coastal wetlands. Protected areas in Queensland play an important role in conserving SOC assets in Queensland's coastal wetlands. For example, ~19 Tg C within terrestrial protected areas, ~27 Tg C within marine protected areas and ~ 40 Tg C within areas of matters of State Environmental Significance. Using multi-decadal (1987-2020) mapped distributions of mangroves in Queensland; we found that mangrove area increased by approximately 30,000 ha from 1987 to 2020, which led to temporal fluctuations in mangrove plant and SOC stocks. We estimated that plant stocks decreased from ~45 Tg C in 1987 to ~34.2 Tg C in 2020, while SOC stocks remained relatively constant from ~107.9 Tg C in 1987 to 108.0 Tg C in 2020. Considering the level of current protection, emissions from mangrove deforestation are potentially very low; therefore, representing minor opportunities for mangrove blue carbon projects in the region. Our study provides much needed information on current trends in carbon stocks and their conservation in Queensland's coastal wetlands, while also contributing to guide future management actions, including blue carbon restoration projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micheli Duarte de Paula Costa
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood Campus, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia.
| | - Maria Fernanda Adame
- Australian Rivers Institute, Coastal & Marine Research Centre, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Catherine V Bryant
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
| | - Jack Hill
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jeffrey J Kelleway
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences and GeoQuEST Research Centre, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Catherine E Lovelock
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Anne Ola
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Michael A Rasheed
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
| | - Cristian Salinas
- School of Science & Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
| | - Oscar Serrano
- School of Science & Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia; Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain
| | - Nathan Waltham
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Paul H York
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
| | - Mary Young
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Warrnambool Campus, Geelong, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Peter Macreadie
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood Campus, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
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Zhang W, Han S, Zhang D, Shan B, Wei D. Variations in dissolved oxygen and aquatic biological responses in China's coastal seas. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 223:115418. [PMID: 36738771 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Coastal areas can represent an ecological transition zone with the function of biodiversity conservation, and good water quality is fundamental to maintaining this function. In this study, we analyzed data from 2011 to 2020 to reveal the variation in dissolved oxygen (DO) and the aquatic biological response in China's coastal seas. Results showed that DO in coastal waters exhibited an upward trend from 2011 to 2020 because of reduction in terrestrial anthropogenic pollutant (TAP) input. In comparison with DO in other seas, the DO content in the East China Sea was lower owing to higher TAP input, i.e., the proportion of DO of <5 mg L-1 accounted for approximately 60% of the total. Species numbers, density, and the species diversity index of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and macrobenthos were different in the different sea areas because phytoplankton, zooplankton, and macrobenthos have different responses to changes in DO. In comparison with the species numbers of zooplankton and macrobenthos, the species numbers of phytoplankton were more significantly related to DO, and showed a negative linear relationship with a better DO environment (DO ≥ 5 mg L-1; r2 = 0.39, p < 0.01) and positive correlation with a poor DO environment (DO < 3 mg L-1; r2 = 0.52, p < 0.01). A better DO environment is conducive to increased density of macrobenthos. Studies have shown that a good DO environment contributes to coastal ecosystem health, and continuous control of TAP input is an effective means of ensuring DO recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory on Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing, 100085, PR China.
| | - Songjie Han
- State Key Laboratory on Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing, 100085, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Dianwei Zhang
- College of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Hebei, Handan, 056038, PR China
| | - Baoqing Shan
- State Key Laboratory on Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing, 100085, PR China
| | - Dongyang Wei
- Environmental Development Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing, 100029, PR China
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15
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Li Y, Fu C, Hu J, Zeng L, Tu C, Luo Y. Soil Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Stoichiometry and Fractions in Blue Carbon Ecosystems: Implications for Carbon Accumulation in Allochthonous-Dominated Habitats. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:5913-5923. [PMID: 36996086 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs) including mangroves, saltmarshes, and seagrasses are highly efficient for organic carbon (OC) accumulation due to their unique ability to trap high rates of allochthonous substrates. It has been suggested that the magnitude of OC preservation is constrained by nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) limitation in response to climate and anthropogenic changes. However, little is known about the connection of soil OC with N-P and their forms in response to allochthonous inputs in BCEs. By analyzing soil OC, N, and P densities of BCEs from 797 sites globally, we find that, in China, where allochthonous OC provides 50-75% of total OC, soil C/P and N/P ratios are 4- to 8-fold lower than their global means, and 23%, 29%, and 20% of buried OC, N, and P are oxidation-resistant fractions that linked with minerals. We estimate that the OC stocks in China should double over the next 40 years under high allochthonous inputs and elevated N/P ratio scenarios during BCE restoration. Allochthonous-dominated BCEs thus have the capacity to enhance refractory and mineral bound organic matter accumulation. Protection and restoration of such BCEs will provide long-term mitigating benefits against sea level rise and greenhouse gas emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, P. R. China
| | - Chuancheng Fu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Nanjing 210008, P. R. China
| | - Jian Hu
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Salt Marsh Ecosystems and Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources, Jiangsu Geological Bureau, Nanjing 210018, P. R. China
| | - Lin Zeng
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, P. R. China
| | - Chen Tu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, P. R. China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Nanjing 210008, P. R. China
| | - Yongming Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, P. R. China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Nanjing 210008, P. R. China
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16
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Raw JL, Van Niekerk L, Chauke O, Mbatha H, Riddin T, Adams JB. Blue carbon sinks in South Africa and the need for restoration to enhance carbon sequestration. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160142. [PMID: 36375557 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Blue carbon ecosystems (mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses) contribute towards climate change mitigation because they are efficient at sequestering atmospheric CO2 into long-term total ecosystem carbon stocks. Destruction or disturbance therefore reduces sink capacity and leads to significant CO2 emissions. This study reports the first national estimates of: 1) total carbon storage, 2) CO2 emissions from anthropogenic activities, 3) the potential for restoration to enhance carbon sequestration for blue carbon ecosystems in South Africa. Mangrove ecosystems have the greatest carbon storage per unit area (253-534 Mg C ha-1), followed by salt marshes (100-199 Mg C ha-1) and seagrasses (45-144 Mg C ha-1). Salt marshes are the most extensive and contribute 67 % to the national carbon stock of 4000 Gg C. Since 1930, 6500 ha has been lost across all blue carbon ecosystems (26 % of the natural extent), equivalent to losing 1086 Gg C from the national carbon stock. Historic CO2 emissions were estimated at an average rate of 30,266 t CO2e yr-1. Despite losses, a total of 3998 ha could be restored to increase carbon sequestration and CO2 removals of 14,845 tCO2e.yr-1. Extractive activities have declined rapidly in recent decades, but abiotic pressures on estuarine ecosystems (flow modification, reduced water quality, and artificial breaching) have been increasing. There is an urgent need to quantify the potential impact of these pressures and include them in estuarine management and restoration plans. Blue carbon ecosystems cover a relatively small area in South Africa, but they are valued for their multiple ecosystem services that contribute towards climate change adaptation and biodiversity co-benefits. These ecosystems need to be included in national policies driving climate change response in the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land-Use (AFOLU) sector, such as incorporating them into the wetland subcategory of the national GHG inventory.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Raw
- DSI-NRF Research Chair in Shallow Water Ecosystems, Department of Botany, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa; Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa.
| | - L Van Niekerk
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa; Coastal Systems and Earth Observation Research Group, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - O Chauke
- National Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), Pretoria, South Africa
| | - H Mbatha
- National Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), Pretoria, South Africa
| | - T Riddin
- DSI-NRF Research Chair in Shallow Water Ecosystems, Department of Botany, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa; Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
| | - J B Adams
- DSI-NRF Research Chair in Shallow Water Ecosystems, Department of Botany, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa; Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
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Mossman HL, Pontee N, Born K, Hill C, Lawrence PJ, Rae S, Scott J, Serato B, Sparkes RB, Sullivan MJP, Dunk RM. Rapid carbon accumulation at a saltmarsh restored by managed realignment exceeded carbon emitted in direct site construction. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0259033. [PMID: 36449465 PMCID: PMC9710768 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing attention is being paid to the carbon sequestration and storage services provided by coastal blue carbon ecosystems such as saltmarshes. Sites restored by managed realignment, where existing sea walls are breached to reinstate tidal inundation to the land behind, have considerable potential to accumulate carbon through deposition of sediment brought in by the tide and burial of vegetation in the site. While this potential has been recognised, it is not yet a common motivating factor for saltmarsh restoration, partly due to uncertainties about the rate of carbon accumulation and how this balances against the greenhouse gases emitted during site construction. We use a combination of field measurements over four years and remote sensing to quantify carbon accumulation at a large managed realignment site, Steart Marshes, UK. Sediment accumulated rapidly at Steart Marshes (mean of 75 mm yr-1) and had a high carbon content (4.4% total carbon, 2.2% total organic carbon), resulting in carbon accumulation of 36.6 t ha-1 yr-1 total carbon (19.4 t ha-1 yr-1 total organic carbon). This rate of carbon accumulation is an order of magnitude higher than reported in many other restored saltmarshes, and is somewhat higher than values previously reported from another hypertidal system (Bay of Fundy, Canada). The estimated carbon emissions associated with the construction of the site were ~2-4% of the observed carbon accumulation during the study period, supporting the view that managed realignment projects in such settings may have significant carbon accumulation benefits. However, uncertainties such as the origin of carbon (allochthonous or autochthonous) and changes in gas fluxes need to be resolved to move towards a full carbon budget for saltmarsh restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah L. Mossman
- Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Nigel Pontee
- Jacobs, Bristol, United Kingdom
- University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | | | - Colin Hill
- Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Peter J. Lawrence
- Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, United Kingdom
- Institute of Science and Environment, University of Cumbria, Ambleside, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart Rae
- Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Robert B. Sparkes
- Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Martin J. P. Sullivan
- Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel M. Dunk
- Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
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18
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Losciale R, Day J, Heron S. Conservation status, research, and knowledge of seagrass habitats in World Heritage properties. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jon Day
- James Cook University Douglas Queensland Australia
| | - Scott Heron
- James Cook University Douglas Queensland Australia
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Kaal J, González-Pérez JA, Márquez San Emeterio L, Serrano O. Fingerprinting macrophyte Blue Carbon by pyrolysis-GC-compound specific isotope analysis (Py-CSIA). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 836:155598. [PMID: 35500709 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
There is a need for tools to determine the origin of organic matter (OM) in Blue Carbon Ecosystems (BCE) and marine sediments to (1) facilitate the implementation of Blue Carbon strategies into carbon accounting and crediting schemes and (2) decipher changes in ecosystem condition over decadal to millennial time scales and thus to understand and predict the stability of BCE in a changing world. Pyrolysis-GC-compound specific isotope analysis (Py-CSIA) is applied for the first time in marine environments and BCE research. We studied Australian mangrove, tidal marsh and seagrass sediments, in addition to potential sources of OM (Avicennia, Posidonia, Zostera, Sarcocornia, Ecklonia and Ulva species and seagrass epiphytes), to identify precursors of different biomacromolecule constituents (lignin, polysaccharides and aliphatic structures). Firstly, the link between bulk δ13C and δ13C reconstructed from compound-specific δ13C showed that the pyrolysis approach allows for the isotopic screening of a representative portion of the OM. Secondly, for all samples, the C isotope fingerprint of the carbohydrate products (plant polysaccharides) was the heaviest (13C enriched), followed by lignin and aliphatic products. The differences in δ13C among macromolecules and the overlap in δ13C among putative sources reflect the limitations of bulk δ13C analyses for deciphering OM provenance. Thirdly, phanerogams specimen had the heaviest carbohydrate and lignin, confirming that seagrass-derived lignocellulose can be traced based on δ13C. Consistent differences for individual compounds were identified between seagrasses and between Avicennia and Sarcocornia using Py-CSIA. Fourth, ecosystem shifts (colonization of seagrass habitats by mangrove) on millenary time scales, hypothesized in previous studies on the basis of bulk δ13C and Py-GC-MS, were confirmed by Py-CSIA. We conclude that Py-CSIA is useful in Blue Carbon research to decipher OM sources in marine sediments, identify ecosystem transitions in palaeoenvironmental records, and to understand the role of different OM compounds in Blue Carbon storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joeri Kaal
- Pyrolyscience, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - José A González-Pérez
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNAS-CSIC), MOSS Group, Seville, Spain
| | - Layla Márquez San Emeterio
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNAS-CSIC), MOSS Group, Seville, Spain; Med_Soil Research Group, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Oscar Serrano
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CEAB-CISC), Blanes, Spain; School of Science & Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
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20
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Optimization of nitrogen, water and salinity for maximizing soil organic carbon in coastal wetlands. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
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21
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Zhang W, Zhang D, Han S, Zhang C, Shan B. Evidence of improvements in the water quality of coastal areas around China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:155147. [PMID: 35413351 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Coastal areas are huge carbon stores and hotspots for marine carbon fixation. Changes in the water quality of coastal areas are closely linked to their carbon fixation function. In this study, monitoring data were analyzed to identify how the water quality in China's coastal areas changed from 2001 to 2020. The results showed that the water quality in the coastal areas had improved gradually since 2001. The proportion of water quality in Class II and above gradually increased from 41.4% in 2001 to 77.4% in 2020, meanwhile, the proportion of water quality less than Class II, decreased from 58.6% to 22.6%, respectively. Of the four sea areas, the water quality was best in the Yellow Sea, and was poor in the East China Sea. The water quality varied between the different coastal provinces and cities and was good in coastal areas of Hainan, Guangxi, Shandong, and other provinces and cities, but was poor in Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Tianjin. Terrestrial anthropogenic pollutants were the main influence on the water quality in the coastal areas. As a hotspot for fixing blue carbon, the continuous improvement of the water quality of coastal areas laid a foundation for the health of the blue carbon ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory on Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, PR China.
| | - Dianwei Zhang
- College of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Hebei, Handan 056038, PR China
| | - Songjie Han
- State Key Laboratory on Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Chao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory on Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, PR China
| | - Baoqing Shan
- State Key Laboratory on Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, PR China
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22
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A Blueprint for the Estimation of Seagrass Carbon Stock Using Remote Sensing-Enabled Proxies. REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14153572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Seagrass ecosystems sequester carbon at disproportionately high rates compared to terrestrial ecosystems and represent a powerful potential contributor to climate change mitigation and adaptation projects. However, at a local scale, rich heterogeneity in seagrass ecosystems may lead to variability in carbon sequestration. Differences in carbon sequestration rates, both within and between seagrass meadows, are related to a wide range of interrelated biophysical and environmental variables that are difficult to measure holistically using traditional field surveys. Improved methods for producing robust, spatially explicit estimates of seagrass carbon storage across large areas would be highly valuable, but must capture complex biophysical heterogeneity and variability to be accurate and useful. Here, we review the current and emerging literature on biophysical processes which shape carbon storage in seagrass beds, alongside studies that map seagrass characteristics using satellite remote sensing data, to create a blueprint for the development of remote sensing-enabled proxies for seagrass carbon stock and sequestration. Applications of satellite remote sensing included measuring seagrass meadow extent, estimating above-ground biomass, mapping species composition, quantifying patchiness and patch connectivity, determining broader landscape environmental contexts, and characterising seagrass life cycles. All of these characteristics may contribute to variability in seagrass carbon storage. As such, remote sensing methods are uniquely placed to enable proxy-based estimates of seagrass carbon stock by capturing their biophysical characteristics, in addition to the spatiotemporal heterogeneity and variability of these characteristics. Though the outlined approach is complex, it is suitable for accurately and efficiently producing a full picture of seagrass carbon stock. This review has drawn links between the processes of seagrass carbon sequestration and the capabilities of remote sensing to detect and characterise these processes. These links will facilitate the development of remote sensing-enabled proxies and support spatially explicit estimates of carbon stock, ensuring climate change mitigation and adaptation projects involving seagrass are accounted for with increased accuracy and reliability.
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Lovelock CE, Adame MF, Bradley J, Dittmann S, Hagger V, Hickey SM, Hutley L, Jones A, Kelleway JJ, Lavery P, Macreadie PI, Maher DT, McGinley S, McGlashan A, Perry S, Mosley L, Rogers K, Sippo JZ. An Australian blue carbon method to estimate climate change mitigation benefits of coastal wetland restoration. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E. Lovelock
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Maria Fernanda Adame
- Australian Rivers Institute Griffith University Nathan 4111 Queensland Australia
| | - Jennifer Bradley
- Clean Energy Regulator, Australian Government 5 Farrel Place Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2600 Australia
| | - Sabine Dittmann
- College of Science & Engineering Flinders University, GPO Box 2100 Adelaide South Australia 5001 Australia
| | - Valerie Hagger
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Sharyn M. Hickey
- The School of Agriculture and Environment, and The Oceans Institute The University of Western Australia Perth Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Lindsay Hutley
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Casuarina Northern Territory 0810 Australia
| | - Alice Jones
- School of Biological Sciences and Environment Institute University of Adelaide South Australia 5000 Australia
- South Australian Department for Environment and Water Adelaide South Australia 5000 Australia
| | - Jeffrey J. Kelleway
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences and GeoQuEST Research Centre University of Wollongong Wollongong New South Wales 2522 Australia
| | - Paul Lavery
- School of Science Edith Cowan University Joondalup Western Australia 6027 Australia
| | - Peter I. Macreadie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University 221 Burwood Highway Burwood Victoria 3125 Australia
| | - Damien T. Maher
- Faculty of Science and Engineering Southern Cross University, PO Box 157 Lismore New South Wales 2480 Australia
| | - Soraya McGinley
- Clean Energy Regulator, Australian Government 5 Farrel Place Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2600 Australia
| | - Alice McGlashan
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Australian Government, John Gorton Building, King Edward Terrace Parkes Australian Capital Territory 2600 Australia
| | - Sarah Perry
- Clean Energy Regulator, Australian Government 5 Farrel Place Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2600 Australia
| | - Luke Mosley
- School of Biological Sciences and Environment Institute University of Adelaide South Australia 5000 Australia
| | - Kerrylee Rogers
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences and GeoQuEST Research Centre University of Wollongong Wollongong New South Wales 2522 Australia
| | - James Z. Sippo
- Faculty of Science and Engineering Southern Cross University, PO Box 157 Lismore New South Wales 2480 Australia
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Research Development, Current Hotspots, and Future Directions of Blue Carbon: A Bibliometric Analysis. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14081193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The blue carbon ecosystem has a strong capacity for carbon sequestration, but its research progress and development are still unclear. This study used CiteSpace to conduct a visual analysis, based on the analysis of 908 articles retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. The results showed that blue carbon research has gone through an early exploratory stage based on the scientific concept research, a research stage on the carbon sequestration process of the diverse blue carbon ecosystems, and a blue carbon protection and restoration stage based on climate change and human activities. The blue carbon theoretical framework has been continuously improved and the subject is currently more focused. The hot research topics are different at different stages. In the early stage, they focused on the types of blue carbon ecosystems and the process of carbon sequestration. Blue carbon research has developed from a single ecosystem type to multiple ecosystem types, and from concept recognition to system assessment research. Recently, research on the response, restoration and protection of blue carbon ecosystems has become a hotspot under the combined effect of human activities and climate change. In the future, it is necessary to strengthen the scientific research on blue carbon, to protect the integrity of the ecosystem structure and service functions, and to make a greater contribution to the global carbon neutrality strategy.
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25
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Dahl M, Ismail R, Braun S, Masqué P, Lavery PS, Gullström M, Arias-Ortiz A, Asplund ME, Garbaras A, Lyimo LD, Mtolera MSP, Serrano O, Webster C, Björk M. Impacts of land-use change and urban development on carbon sequestration in tropical seagrass meadow sediments. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 176:105608. [PMID: 35358909 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Seagrass meadows store significant carbon stocks at a global scale, but land-use change and other anthropogenic activities can alter the natural process of organic carbon (Corg) accumulation. Here, we assessed the carbon accumulation history of two seagrass meadows in Zanzibar (Tanzania) that have experienced different degrees of disturbance. The meadow at Stone Town has been highly exposed to urban development during the 20th century, while the Mbweni meadow is located in an area with relatively low impacts but historical clearing of adjacent mangroves. The results showed that the two sites had similar sedimentary Corg accumulation rates (22-25 g m-2 yr-1) since the 1940s, while during the last two decades (∼1998 until 2018) they exhibited 24-30% higher accumulation of Corg, which was linked to shifts in Corg sources. The increase in the δ13C isotopic signature of sedimentary Corg (towards a higher seagrass contribution) at the Stone Town site since 1998 points to improved seagrass meadow conditions and Corg accumulation capacity of the meadow after the relocation of a major sewage outlet in the mid-1990s. In contrast, the decrease in the δ13C signatures of sedimentary Corg in the Mbweni meadow since the early 2010s was likely linked to increased Corg run-off of mangrove/terrestrial material following mangrove deforestation. This study exemplifies two different pathways by which land-based human activities can alter the carbon storage capacity of seagrass meadows (i.e. sewage waste management and mangrove deforestation) and showcases opportunities for management of vegetated coastal Corg sinks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Dahl
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, Huddinge, Sweden.
| | - Rashid Ismail
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS), University of Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Sara Braun
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pere Masqué
- School of Science and Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia; International Atomic Energy, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
| | - Paul S Lavery
- School of Science and Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Martin Gullström
- School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Ariane Arias-Ortiz
- Ecosystem Science Division, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA; Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Maria E Asplund
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Kristineberg, Fiskebäckskil, Sweden
| | | | - Liberatus D Lyimo
- Department of Crop Science and Horticulture. Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Matern S P Mtolera
- Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS), University of Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Oscar Serrano
- School of Science and Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia; Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain
| | - Chanelle Webster
- School of Science and Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Mats Björk
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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26
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Carnell PE, Palacios MM, Waryszak P, Trevathan-Tackett SM, Masqué P, Macreadie PI. Blue carbon drawdown by restored mangrove forests improves with age. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 306:114301. [PMID: 35032938 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The restoration of blue carbon ecosystems, such as mangrove forests, is increasingly used as a management tool to mitigate climate change by removing and sequestering atmospheric carbon in the ground. However, estimates of carbon-offset potential are currently based on data from natural mangrove forests, potentially leading to overestimating the carbon-offset potential from restored mangroves. Here, in the first study of its kind, we utilise 210Pb sediment age-dating techniques and greenhouse gas flux measures to estimate blue carbon additionality in restored mangrove forests, ranging from 13 to 35 years old. As expected, mangrove age had a significant effect on carbon additionality and carbon accretion rate, with the older mangrove stands (17 and 35 years old) holding double the total carbon stocks (aboveground + soil stocks; ∼115 tonnes C ha-1) and double the soil sequestration rates (∼3 tonnes C ha-1 yr-1) than the youngest mangrove stand (13 years old). Although soil carbon stocks increased with mangrove age, the aboveground plant stocks were highest in the 17-year-old stand. Mangrove age also had a significant effect on soil carbon fluxes, with the older mangroves (≥17 years) releasing one-fourth of the CH4 emissions, but double the CO2 flux compared to young stands. Our study suggests that the carbon sink capacity of restored mangrove forests increases with age, but stabilises once they mature (e.g., >17 years). This means that by using carbon sequestration and emissions from natural forests, mangrove restoration projects may be overestimating their carbon sequestration potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul E Carnell
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Victoria, 3125, Australia.
| | - Maria M Palacios
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Victoria, 3125, Australia
| | - Paweł Waryszak
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Victoria, 3125, Australia
| | - Stacey M Trevathan-Tackett
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Victoria, 3125, Australia
| | - Pere Masqué
- International Atomic Energy Agency, 98000, Principality of Monaco, Monaco; School of Science and Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia; Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals & Departament de Física, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Peter I Macreadie
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Victoria, 3125, Australia
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27
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Duarte de Paula Costa M, Lovelock CE, Waltham NJ, Moritsch MM, Butler D, Power T, Thomas E, Macreadie PI. Modelling blue carbon farming opportunities at different spatial scales. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 301:113813. [PMID: 34607133 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing interest in including blue carbon ecosystems (i.e., mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrasses) in climate mitigation programs in national and sub-national policies, with restoration and conservation of these ecosystems identified as potential activities to increase carbon accumulation through time. However, there is still a gap on the spatial scales needed to produce carbon offsets comparable with terrestrial or agricultural ecosystems. Here, we used the Coastal Blue Carbon InVEST 3.7.0 model to estimate future net carbon sequestration in blue carbon ecosystems along Australia's Great Barrier Reef (hereafter GBR) catchments, considering different management scenarios (i.e., reintroduction of tidal exchange through the removal of barriers, sea level rise, restoring low lying land) at three different spatial scales: whole GBR coastline, regional (14,000-16,300 ha), and local (335-370 ha) scales. The focus of the restoration (i.e., tidal marshes and/or mangroves) was dependent on data availability for each scenario. Furthermore, we also estimated the monetary value of carbon sequestration under each management scenario and spatial scale assessed in the study. We found that large scale restoration of tidal marshes could potentially sequester an additional ∼800,000 tonnes of CO2e by 2045 (potentially generating AU$12 million based on the average Australia carbon price), with greater opportunities when sea level rise is accounted for in the modelling. Also, we found that regional and local projects would generate up to 23 tonnes CO2e ha-1 by the end of the crediting period. Our results can guide future decisions in the blue carbon market and financing schemes, however, the return on investment is dependent on the carbon price and funding scheme available for project implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micheli Duarte de Paula Costa
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood Campus, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia.
| | - Catherine E Lovelock
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Nathan J Waltham
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, 4870, Australia
| | - Monica M Moritsch
- University of California Santa Cruz, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Warrnambool Campus, Warrnambool, VIC, 3280, Australia
| | - Don Butler
- Department of Environment and Science, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
| | - Trent Power
- Catchment Solutions, Mackay, QLD, 4750, Australia
| | - Evan Thomas
- Department of Environment and Science, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
| | - Peter I Macreadie
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood Campus, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
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28
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Adame MF, Vilas MP, Franklin H, Garzon-Garcia A, Hamilton D, Ronan M, Griffiths M. A conceptual model of nitrogen dynamics for the Great Barrier Reef catchments. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 173:112909. [PMID: 34592504 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) from anthropogenic sources has been identified as a major pollutant of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia. We developed a conceptual framework to synthesise and visualise the fate and transport of N from the catchments to the sea from a literature review. The framework was created to fit managers and policymakers' requirements to reduce N in the GBR catchments. We used this framework to determine the N stocks and transformations (input, sources, and outputs) for ecosystems commonly found in the GBR: rainforests, palustrine wetlands, lakes, rivers (in-stream), mangroves and seagrasses. We included transformations of N such as nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, mineralisation, anammox, sedimentation, plant uptake, and food web transfers. This model can be applied to other ecosystems to understand the transport and fate of N within and between catchments. Importantly, this approach can guide management actions that attenuate N at different scales and locations within the GBR ecosystems. Finally, when combined with local hydrological modelling, this framework can be used to predict outcomes of management activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- M F Adame
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan 4111, QLD, Australia.
| | - M P Vilas
- Department of Resources, Queensland Government, Brisbane, 4000, QLD, Australia
| | - H Franklin
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan 4111, QLD, Australia
| | - A Garzon-Garcia
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan 4111, QLD, Australia; Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government, Brisbane, 4000, QLD, Australia
| | - D Hamilton
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan 4111, QLD, Australia
| | - M Ronan
- Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government, Brisbane, 4000, QLD, Australia
| | - M Griffiths
- Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government, Brisbane, 4000, QLD, Australia
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29
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Feng C, Ye G, Jiang Q, Zheng Y, Chen G, Wu J, Feng X, Si Y, Zeng J, Li P, Fang K. The contribution of ocean-based solutions to carbon reduction in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 797:149168. [PMID: 34311372 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Climate change has become a great challenge for humanity. However, the current climate change mitigation measures, primarily concentrate on land, more or less neglecting the vital role of the ocean-based solutions. While the ocean is a crucial regulator of the global climate, ocean-based solutions could also play an essential role in climate change mitigation and policymaking. This paper developed an Ocean-based Solutions Carbon Reduction Assessment Model (OSCRAM) that addresses coastal ecosystems, ocean energy, marine transportation, fishery, and seabed to estimate the oceanic contribution to climate change mitigation. It has been applied to evaluate the capacity of carbon emission reduction through oceans in China. We found that the total contribution for carbon emission reduction was about 6.86 Tg CO2 per year, and it may reach 139.39 Tg in 2030 under the target scenario. The results indicated that the ocean has huge potential to reduce carbon emissions. The development of marine energy and low-carbon marine shipping may have more potential for emission reduction in China, and the government should also protect and restore coastal wetlands for their enormous carbon storage. It can also provide a reference for the globe and other nations in achieving emission reduction goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuicui Feng
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guanqiong Ye
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China.
| | - Qutu Jiang
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China
| | - Yuhan Zheng
- Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Jiaping Wu
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China
| | - Xuehao Feng
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China
| | - Yulin Si
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China
| | - Jiangning Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peiliang Li
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China
| | - Kai Fang
- School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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30
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Stankovic M, Ambo-Rappe R, Carly F, Dangan-Galon F, Fortes MD, Hossain MS, Kiswara W, Van Luong C, Minh-Thu P, Mishra AK, Noiraksar T, Nurdin N, Panyawai J, Rattanachot E, Rozaimi M, Soe Htun U, Prathep A. Quantification of blue carbon in seagrass ecosystems of Southeast Asia and their potential for climate change mitigation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 783:146858. [PMID: 34088119 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Seagrasses have the ability to contribute towards climate change mitigation, through large organic carbon (Corg) sinks within their ecosystems. Although the importance of blue carbon within these ecosystems has been addressed in some countries of Southeast Asia, the regional and national inventories with the application of nature-based solutions are lacking. In this study, we aim to estimate national coastal blue carbon stocks in the seagrass ecosystems in the countries of Southeast Asia including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. This study further assesses the potential of conservation and restoration practices and highlights the seagrass meadows as nature-based solution for climate change mitigation. The average value of the total carbon storage within seagrass meadows of this region is 121.95 ± 76.11 Mg ha-1 (average ± SD) and the total Corg stock of the seagrass meadows of this region was 429.11 ± 111.88 Tg, with the highest Corg stock in the Philippines (78%). The seagrass meadows of this region have the capacity to accumulate 5.85-6.80 Tg C year-1, which accounts for $214.6-249.4 million USD. Under the current rate of decline of 2.82%, the seagrass meadows are emitting 1.65-2.08 Tg of CO2 year-1 and the economic value of these losses accounts for $21.42-24.96 million USD. The potential of the seagrass meadows to the offset current CO2 emissions varies across the region, with the highest contribution to offset is in the seagrass meadows of the Philippines (11.71%). Current national policies and commitments of nationally determined contributions do not include blue carbon ecosystems as climate mitigation measures, even though these ecosystems can contribute up to 7.03% of the countries' reduction goal of CO2 emissions by 2030. The results of this study highlight and promote the potential of the southeast Asian seagrass meadows to national and international agencies as a practical scheme for nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Stankovic
- Excellence Center for Biodiversity of Peninsular Thailand, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand.
| | - Rohani Ambo-Rappe
- Marine Science Department, Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries, Hasanuddin University, Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan, Makassar 90245, Indonesia
| | - Filipo Carly
- Fauna and Flora International (FFI), Myeik City, Myanmar.
| | - Floredel Dangan-Galon
- Palawan State University-College of Sciences, Tiniguiban, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines
| | - Miguel D Fortes
- Professor of Marine Science (ret), University of the Philippines, Diliman Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Mohammad Shawkat Hossain
- Institute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
| | | | - Cao Van Luong
- Institute of Marine Environment and Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 246 Da Nang, Ngo Quyen, Hai Phong, Viet Nam; Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Viet Nam.
| | - Phan Minh-Thu
- Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Viet Nam; Institute of Oceanography, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 01 Cau Da, Nha Trang 650000, Viet Nam.
| | - Amrit Kumar Mishra
- Department of Marine Conservation, Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House, Dr. Salim Ali Chowk, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road, Opp. Lion Gate, Mumbai 400001, India.
| | - Thidarat Noiraksar
- Institute of Marine Science, Burapha University, Bangsaen, Chon Buri 20131, Thailand
| | - Nurjannah Nurdin
- Marine Science Department, Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries, Hasanuddin University, Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan, Makassar 90245, Indonesia; Research and Development Center for Marine, Coast and Small Island, Hasanuddin University, Indonesia
| | - Janmanee Panyawai
- Division of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand
| | - Ekkalak Rattanachot
- Excellence Center for Biodiversity of Peninsular Thailand, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand.
| | - Mohammad Rozaimi
- Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - U Soe Htun
- Coastal and Mangrove Programme, Fauna and Flora International (FFI), Myeik City, Myanmar
| | - Anchana Prathep
- Excellence Center for Biodiversity of Peninsular Thailand, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand; Division of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand.
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31
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Trevathan-Tackett SM, Kepfer-Rojas S, Engelen AH, York PH, Ola A, Li J, Kelleway JJ, Jinks KI, Jackson EL, Adame MF, Pendall E, Lovelock CE, Connolly RM, Watson A, Visby I, Trethowan A, Taylor B, Roberts TNB, Petch J, Farrington L, Djukic I, Macreadie PI. Ecosystem type drives tea litter decomposition and associated prokaryotic microbiome communities in freshwater and coastal wetlands at a continental scale. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 782:146819. [PMID: 33838377 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Wetland ecosystems are critical to the regulation of the global carbon cycle, and there is a high demand for data to improve carbon sequestration and emission models and predictions. Decomposition of plant litter is an important component of ecosystem carbon cycling, yet a lack of knowledge on decay rates in wetlands is an impediment to predicting carbon preservation. Here, we aim to fill this knowledge gap by quantifying the decomposition of standardised green and rooibos tea litter over one year within freshwater and coastal wetland soils across four climates in Australia. We also captured changes in the prokaryotic members of the tea-associated microbiome during this process. Ecosystem type drove differences in tea decay rates and prokaryotic microbiome community composition. Decomposition rates were up to 2-fold higher in mangrove and seagrass soils compared to freshwater wetlands and tidal marshes, in part due to greater leaching-related mass loss. For tidal marshes and freshwater wetlands, the warmer climates had 7-16% less mass remaining compared to temperate climates after a year of decomposition. The prokaryotic microbiome community composition was significantly different between substrate types and sampling times within and across ecosystem types. Microbial indicator analyses suggested putative metabolic pathways common across ecosystems were used to breakdown the tea litter, including increased presence of putative methylotrophs and sulphur oxidisers linked to the introduction of oxygen by root in-growth over the incubation period. Structural equation modelling analyses further highlighted the importance of incubation time on tea decomposition and prokaryotic microbiome community succession, particularly for rooibos tea that experienced a greater proportion of mass loss between three and twelve months compared to green tea. These results provide insights into ecosystem-level attributes that affect both the abiotic and biotic controls of belowground wetland carbon turnover at a continental scale, while also highlighting new decay dynamics for tea litter decomposing under longer incubations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey M Trevathan-Tackett
- Deakin University, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia.
| | - Sebastian Kepfer-Rojas
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Aschwin H Engelen
- Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Paul H York
- James Cook University, Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER), Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
| | - Anne Ola
- The University of Queensland, School of Biological Sciences, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jinquan Li
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Jeffrey J Kelleway
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, GeoQuEST Research Centre, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Kristin I Jinks
- Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Emma L Jackson
- Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre, CQUniversity, Gladstone, QLD 4680, Australia
| | | | - Elise Pendall
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Catherine E Lovelock
- The University of Queensland, School of Biological Sciences, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Rod M Connolly
- Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Anne Watson
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, TAS 7005, Australia
| | - Inger Visby
- Derwent Estuary Program, 24 Davey St Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Allison Trethowan
- RiverConnect - Greater Shepparton City Council, Shepparton, VIC 3630, Australia
| | - Ben Taylor
- Nature Glenelg Trust, PO Box 2177, Mt Gambier, SA 5290, Australia
| | | | - Jane Petch
- Melbourne Water, South East Regional Office, Worsley Road, Bangholme, VIC 3175, Australia
| | | | - Ika Djukic
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Peter I Macreadie
- Deakin University, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
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32
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Bertolini C, da Mosto J. Restoring for the climate: a review of coastal wetland restoration research in the last 30 years. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Bertolini
- We are here Venice Venice 30125 Italy
- Department of Environmental Sciences Informatics and Statics, Ca′ Foscari University 30170 Venice Italy
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33
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Moritsch MM, Young M, Carnell P, Macreadie PI, Lovelock C, Nicholson E, Raimondi PT, Wedding LM, Ierodiaconou D. Estimating blue carbon sequestration under coastal management scenarios. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 777:145962. [PMID: 33684760 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Restoring and protecting "blue carbon" ecosystems - mangrove forests, tidal marshes, and seagrass meadows - are actions considered for increasing global carbon sequestration. To improve understanding of which management actions produce the greatest gains in sequestration, we used a spatially explicit model to compare carbon sequestration and its economic value over a broad spatial scale (2500 km of coastline in southeastern Australia) for four management scenarios: (1) Managed Retreat, (2) Managed Retreat Plus Levee Removal, (3) Erosion of High Risk Areas, (4) Erosion of Moderate to High Risk Areas. We found that carbon sequestration from avoiding erosion-related emissions (abatement) would far exceed sequestration from coastal restoration. If erosion were limited only to the areas with highest erosion risk, sequestration in the non-eroded area exceeded emissions by 4.2 million Mg CO2 by 2100. However, losing blue carbon ecosystems in both moderate and high erosion risk areas would result in net emissions of 23.0 million Mg CO2 by 2100. The removal of levees combined with managed retreat was the strategy that sequestered the most carbon. Across all time points, removal of levees increased sequestration by only an additional 1 to 3% compared to managed retreat alone. Compared to the baseline erosion scenario, the managed retreat scenario increased sequestration by 7.40 million Mg CO2 by 2030, 8.69 million Mg CO2 by 2050, and 16.6 million Mg CO2 by 2100. Associated economic value followed the same patterns, with large potential value loss from erosion greater than potential gains from conserving or restoring ecosystems. This study quantifies the potential benefits of managed retreat and preventing erosion in existing blue carbon ecosystems to help meet climate change mitigation goals by reducing carbon emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica M Moritsch
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Geographic Science Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; Deakin University School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Warrnambool, VIC 3280, Australia; University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
| | - Mary Young
- Deakin University School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Warrnambool, VIC 3280, Australia
| | - Paul Carnell
- Deakin University School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Peter I Macreadie
- Deakin University School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Catherine Lovelock
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Emily Nicholson
- Deakin University School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | | | - Lisa M Wedding
- University of Oxford, School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford, 0X1 3QY, UK
| | - Daniel Ierodiaconou
- Deakin University School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Warrnambool, VIC 3280, Australia
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Duarte de Paula Costa M, Lovelock CE, Waltham NJ, Young M, Adame MF, Bryant CV, Butler D, Green D, Rasheed MA, Salinas C, Serrano O, York PH, Whitt AA, Macreadie PI. Current and future carbon stocks in coastal wetlands within the Great Barrier Reef catchments. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:3257-3271. [PMID: 33864332 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchments include some of the world's most intact coastal wetlands comprising diverse mangrove, seagrass and tidal marsh ecosystems. Although these ecosystems are highly efficient at storing carbon in marine sediments, their soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and the potential changes resulting from climate impacts, including sea level rise are not well understood. For the first time, we estimated SOC stocks and their drivers within the range of coastal wetlands of GBR catchments using boosted regression trees (i.e. a machine learning approach and ensemble method for modelling the relationship between response and explanatory variables) and identified the potential changes in future stocks due to sea level rise. We found levels of SOC stocks of mangrove and seagrass meadows have different drivers, with climatic variables such as temperature, rainfall and solar radiation, showing significant contributions in accounting for variation in SOC stocks in mangroves. In contrast, soil type accounted for most of the variability in seagrass meadows. Total SOC stock in the GBR catchments, including mangroves, seagrass meadows and tidal marshes, is approximately 137 Tg C, which represents 9%-13% of Australia's total SOC stock while encompassing only 4%-6% of the total extent of Australian coastal wetlands. In a global context, this could represent 0.5%-1.4% of global SOC stock. Our study suggests that landward migration due to projected sea level rise has the potential to enhance carbon accumulation with total carbon gains between 0.16 and 0.46 Tg C and provides an opportunity for future restoration to enhance blue carbon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micheli Duarte de Paula Costa
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Catherine E Lovelock
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Nathan J Waltham
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia
| | - Mary Young
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Warrnambool, Vic, Australia
| | - Maria F Adame
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld, Australia
| | - Catherine V Bryant
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia
| | - Don Butler
- Department of Environment and Science, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - David Green
- Research Computing Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Michael A Rasheed
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia
| | - Cristian Salinas
- School of Science & Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
| | - Oscar Serrano
- School of Science & Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain
| | - Paul H York
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia
| | - Ashley A Whitt
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic, Australia
| | - Peter I Macreadie
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic, Australia
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Martins M, de los Santos CB, Masqué P, Carrasco AR, Veiga-Pires C, Santos R. Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks and Burial Rates in Intertidal Vegetated Habitats of a Mesotidal Coastal Lagoon. Ecosystems 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-021-00660-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Adame MF, Connolly RM, Turschwell MP, Lovelock CE, Fatoyinbo T, Lagomasino D, Goldberg LA, Holdorf J, Friess DA, Sasmito SD, Sanderman J, Sievers M, Buelow C, Kauffman JB, Bryan‐Brown D, Brown CJ. Future carbon emissions from global mangrove forest loss. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:2856-2866. [PMID: 33644947 PMCID: PMC8251893 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Mangroves have among the highest carbon densities of any tropical forest. These 'blue carbon' ecosystems can store large amounts of carbon for long periods, and their protection reduces greenhouse gas emissions and supports climate change mitigation. Incorporating mangroves into Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement and their valuation on carbon markets requires predicting how the management of different land-uses can prevent future greenhouse gas emissions and increase CO2 sequestration. We integrated comprehensive global datasets for carbon stocks, mangrove distribution, deforestation rates, and land-use change drivers into a predictive model of mangrove carbon emissions. We project emissions and foregone soil carbon sequestration potential under 'business as usual' rates of mangrove loss. Emissions from mangrove loss could reach 2391 Tg CO2 eq by the end of the century, or 3392 Tg CO2 eq when considering foregone soil carbon sequestration. The highest emissions were predicted in southeast and south Asia (West Coral Triangle, Sunda Shelf, and the Bay of Bengal) due to conversion to aquaculture or agriculture, followed by the Caribbean (Tropical Northwest Atlantic) due to clearing and erosion, and the Andaman coast (West Myanmar) and north Brazil due to erosion. Together, these six regions accounted for 90% of the total potential CO2 eq future emissions. Mangrove loss has been slowing, and global emissions could be more than halved if reduced loss rates remain in the future. Notably, the location of global emission hotspots was consistent with every dataset used to calculate deforestation rates or with alternative assumptions about carbon storage and emissions. Our results indicate the regions in need of policy actions to address emissions arising from mangrove loss and the drivers that could be managed to prevent them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria F. Adame
- Australian Rivers InstituteGriffith UniversityNathanQldAustralia
- Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and ScienceGriffith UniversityGold CoastQldAustralia
| | - Rod M. Connolly
- Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and ScienceGriffith UniversityGold CoastQldAustralia
| | | | | | | | - David Lagomasino
- Department of Coastal StudiesEast Carolina UniversityWancheseNCUSA
| | - Liza A. Goldberg
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary CenterUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMDUSA
| | - Jordan Holdorf
- Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and ScienceGriffith UniversityGold CoastQldAustralia
| | - Daniel A. Friess
- Department of GeographyNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Mangrove Specialist GroupCentre for Nature‐based Climate Solutions, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Sigit D. Sasmito
- Research Institute for Environment and LivelihoodsCharles Darwin UniversityCasuarinaNTAustralia
- Center for International Forestry ResearchBogorIndonesia
- NUS Environmental Research InstituteNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | | | - Michael Sievers
- Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and ScienceGriffith UniversityGold CoastQldAustralia
| | - Christina Buelow
- Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and ScienceGriffith UniversityGold CoastQldAustralia
| | - J. Boone Kauffman
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation SciencesOregon State UniversityCorvallisORUSA
| | - Dale Bryan‐Brown
- Australian Rivers InstituteGriffith UniversityNathanQldAustralia
| | - Christopher J. Brown
- Australian Rivers InstituteGriffith UniversityNathanQldAustralia
- Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and ScienceGriffith UniversityGold CoastQldAustralia
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Ricart AM, Ward M, Hill TM, Sanford E, Kroeker KJ, Takeshita Y, Merolla S, Shukla P, Ninokawa AT, Elsmore K, Gaylord B. Coast-wide evidence of low pH amelioration by seagrass ecosystems. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:2580-2591. [PMID: 33788362 PMCID: PMC8252054 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Global-scale ocean acidification has spurred interest in the capacity of seagrass ecosystems to increase seawater pH within crucial shoreline habitats through photosynthetic activity. However, the dynamic variability of the coastal carbonate system has impeded generalization into whether seagrass aerobic metabolism ameliorates low pH on physiologically and ecologically relevant timescales. Here we present results of the most extensive study to date of pH modulation by seagrasses, spanning seven meadows (Zostera marina) and 1000 km of U.S. west coast over 6 years. Amelioration by seagrass ecosystems compared to non-vegetated areas occurred 65% of the time (mean increase 0.07 ± 0.008 SE). Events of continuous elevation in pH within seagrass ecosystems, indicating amelioration of low pH, were longer and of greater magnitude than opposing cases of reduced pH or exacerbation. Sustained elevations in pH of >0.1, comparable to a 30% decrease in [H+ ], were not restricted only to daylight hours but instead persisted for up to 21 days. Maximal pH elevations occurred in spring and summer during the seagrass growth season, with a tendency for stronger effects in higher latitude meadows. These results indicate that seagrass meadows can locally alleviate low pH conditions for extended periods of time with important implications for the conservation and management of coastal ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurora M. Ricart
- Bodega Marine Laboratory – University of CaliforniaDavisCAUSA
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean SciencesEast BoothbayMEUSA
| | - Melissa Ward
- Bodega Marine Laboratory – University of CaliforniaDavisCAUSA
| | - Tessa M. Hill
- Bodega Marine Laboratory – University of CaliforniaDavisCAUSA
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Eric Sanford
- Bodega Marine Laboratory – University of CaliforniaDavisCAUSA
- Department of Evolution and EcologyUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | | | | | - Sarah Merolla
- Bodega Marine Laboratory – University of CaliforniaDavisCAUSA
| | - Priya Shukla
- Bodega Marine Laboratory – University of CaliforniaDavisCAUSA
| | | | - Kristen Elsmore
- Bodega Marine Laboratory – University of CaliforniaDavisCAUSA
| | - Brian Gaylord
- Bodega Marine Laboratory – University of CaliforniaDavisCAUSA
- Department of Evolution and EcologyUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
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Seagrass blue carbon stocks and sequestration rates in the Colombian Caribbean. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11067. [PMID: 34040111 PMCID: PMC8154905 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90544-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Seagrass ecosystems rank amongst the most efficient natural carbon sinks on earth, sequestering CO2 through photosynthesis and storing organic carbon (Corg) underneath their soils for millennia and thereby, mitigating climate change. However, estimates of Corg stocks and accumulation rates in seagrass meadows (blue carbon) are restricted to few regions, and further information on spatial variability is required to derive robust global estimates. Here we studied soil Corg stocks and accumulation rates in seagrass meadows across the Colombian Caribbean. We estimated that Thalassia testudinum meadows store 241 ± 118 Mg Corg ha-1 (mean ± SD) in the top 1 m-thick soils, accumulated at rates of 122 ± 62 and 15 ± 7 g Corg m-2 year-1 over the last ~ 70 years and up to 2000 years, respectively. The tropical climate of the Caribbean Sea and associated sediment run-off, together with the relatively high primary production of T. testudinum, influencing biotic and abiotic drivers of Corg storage linked to seagrass and soil respiration rates, explains their relatively high Corg stocks and accumulation rates when compared to other meadows globally. Differences in soil Corg storage among Colombian Caribbean regions are largely linked to differences in the relative contribution of Corg sources to the soil Corg pool (seagrass, algae Halimeda tuna, mangrove and seston) and the content of soil particles < 0.016 mm binding Corg and enhancing its preservation. Despite the moderate areal extent of T. testudinum in the Colombian Caribbean (661 km2), it sequesters around 0.3 Tg CO2 year-1, which is equivalent to ~ 0.4% of CO2 emissions from fossil fuels in Colombia. This study adds data from a new region to a growing dataset on seagrass blue carbon and further explores differences in meadow Corg storage based on biotic and abiotic environmental factors, while providing the basis for the implementation of seagrass blue carbon strategies in Colombia.
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Palacios MM, Trevathan-Tackett SM, Malerba ME, Macreadie PI. Effects of a nutrient enrichment pulse on blue carbon ecosystems. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 165:112024. [PMID: 33549995 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Coastal ecosystems are under increasing pressure from land-derived eutrophication in most developed coastlines worldwide. Here, we tested for 277 days the effects of a nutrient pulse on blue carbon retention and cycling within an Australian temperate coastal system. After 56 days of exposure, saltmarsh and mangrove plots subject to a high-nutrient treatment (~20 g N m-2 yr-1 and ~2 g P m-2 yr-1) had ~23% lower superficial soil carbon stocks. Mangrove plots also experienced a ~33% reduction in the microbe Amplicon Sequence Variant richness and a shift in community structure linked to elevated ammonium concentrations. Live plant cover, tea litter decomposition, and soil carbon fluxes (CO2 and CH4) were not significantly affected by the pulse. Before the end of the experiment, soil carbon- and nitrogen-cycling had returned to control levels, highlighting the significant but short-lived impact that a nutrient pulse can have on the carbon sink capacity of coastal wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria M Palacios
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, VIC 3125, Australia.
| | - Stacey M Trevathan-Tackett
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, VIC 3125, Australia.
| | - Martino E Malerba
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, VIC 3125, Australia.
| | - Peter I Macreadie
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, VIC 3125, Australia.
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Fu C, Li Y, Zeng L, Zhang H, Tu C, Zhou Q, Xiong K, Wu J, Duarte CM, Christie P, Luo Y. Stocks and losses of soil organic carbon from Chinese vegetated coastal habitats. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:202-214. [PMID: 32920909 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Global vegetated coastal habitats (VCHs) represent a large sink for organic carbon (OC) stored within their soils. The regional patterns and causes of spatial variation, however, remain uncertain. The sparsity and regional bias of studies on soil OC stocks from Chinese VCHs have limited the reliable estimation of their capacity as regional and global OC sinks. Here, we use field and published data from 262 sampled soil cores and 181 surface soils to report estimates of soil OC stocks, burial rates and losses of VCHs in China. We find that Chinese mangrove, salt marsh and seagrass habitats have relatively low OC stocks, storing 6.3 ± 0.6, 7.5 ± 0.6, and 1.6 ± 0.6 Tg C (±95% confidence interval) in the top meter of the soil profile with burial rates of 44 ± 17, 159 ± 57, and 6 ± 45 Gg C/year, respectively. The variability in the soil OC stocks is linked to biogeographic factors but is mostly impacted by sedimentary processes and anthropic activities. All habitats have experienced significant losses, resulting in estimated emissions of 94.2-395.4 Tg CO2 e (carbon dioxide equivalent) over the past 70 years. Reversing this trend through conservation and restoration measures has, therefore, great potential in contributing to the mitigation of climate change while providing additional benefits. This assessment, on a national scale from highly sedimentary environments under intensive anthropogenic pressures, provides important insights into blue carbon sink mechanism and sequestration capacities, thus contributing to the synchronous progression of global blue carbon management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuancheng Fu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China
| | - Yuan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China
| | - Lin Zeng
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Haibo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Soil Contamination Bioremediation of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chen Tu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China
| | - Qian Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kuanxu Xiong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China
| | - Jiaping Wu
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Peter Christie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongming Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Garcias-Bonet N, Eguíluz VM, Díaz-Rúa R, Duarte CM. Host-association as major driver of microbiome structure and composition in Red Sea seagrass ecosystems. Environ Microbiol 2020; 23:2021-2034. [PMID: 33225561 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The role of the microbiome in sustaining seagrasses has recently been highlighted. However, our understanding of the seagrass microbiome lacks behind that of other organisms. Here, we analyse the endophytic and total bacterial communities of leaves, rhizomes, and roots of six Red Sea seagrass species and their sediments. The structure of seagrass bacterial communities revealed that the 1% most abundant OTUs accounted for 87.9% and 74.8% of the total numbers of reads in sediment and plant tissue samples, respectively. We found taxonomically distinct bacterial communities in vegetated and bare sediments. Yet, our results suggest that lifestyle (i.e. free-living or host-association) is the main driver of bacterial community composition. Seagrass bacterial communities were tissue- and species-specific and differed from those of surrounding sediments. We identified OTUs belonging to genera related to N and S cycles in roots, and members of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes phyla as particularly enriched in root endosphere. The finding of highly similar OTUs in well-defined sub-clusters by network analysis suggests the co-occurrence of highly connected key members within Red Sea seagrass bacterial communities. These results provide key information towards the understanding of the role of microorganisms in seagrass ecosystem functioning framed under the seagrass holobiont concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neus Garcias-Bonet
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Víctor M Eguíluz
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia.,Instituto de Física Interdisciplinar y Sistemas Complejos (CSIC-UIB), Palma de Mallorca, E-07122, Spain
| | - Rubén Díaz-Rúa
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
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Kaal J, Martínez Cortizas A, Mateo MÁ, Serrano O. Deciphering organic matter sources and ecological shifts in blue carbon ecosystems based on molecular fingerprinting. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 742:140554. [PMID: 32721726 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Blue carbon ecosystems (BCE) play an essential role in the global carbon cycle by removing atmospheric carbon dioxide and storing it as organic carbon (OC) in biomass and sediments. However, organic matter (OM) deposition and degradation/preservation processes are poorly understood, especially on the long-term and at molecular scales. We analysed sediment samples from six cores collected in tidal marshes, mangroves and seagrasses (up to 150 cm long cores spanning up to 10,000 yrs of OC accumulation) from Spencer Gulf (South Australia), by pyrolysis (Py-GC-MS and THM-GC-MS), and we compared the results with elemental and stable isotope data, to decipher OM provenance and to assess degradation/preservation dynamics. The results showed that: (1) the major biopolymers preserved were polysaccharides, polyphenolic moieties (lignin and tannin) and polymethylenic moieties (e.g. cutin, suberin, chlorophyll) with smaller apportions of proteins and resins; (2) the OM originates predominantly from vascular plant materials (in particular lignocellulose) that have been well-preserved, even in some of the oldest sediments; (3) mangroves were found to be the most efficient OC sinks, partially explained by syringyl lignin preservation; (4) seagrasses were shown to store polysaccharide-enriched OM; (5) large proportions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surficial tidal marsh and mangrove sediments probably reflect pyrogenic OM from industrial combustion, and; (6) "ecosystem shifts", i.e. mangrove encroachment in tidal marsh and transition from seagrass to mangrove, were detected. Deposition environment and source vegetation control OC sequestration and there is no specific recalcitrant form of OM that is selectively preserved. For the first time, we demonstrate how analytical pyrolysis in combination with stable isotope analysis can be used to reconstruct (palaeo-)ecological shifts between different BCE. This study improves our knowledge on OC accumulation dynamics and the response of BCE to environmental change, which can inform the implementation of strategies for climate change mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Antonio Martínez Cortizas
- EcoPast, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Miguel-Ángel Mateo
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Blanes 17300, Spain
| | - Oscar Serrano
- School of Science, Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
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Brodie G, Holland E, N'Yeurt ADR, Soapi K, Hills J. Seagrasses and seagrass habitats in Pacific small island developing states: Potential loss of benefits via human disturbance and climate change. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 160:111573. [PMID: 32916440 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Seagrasses provide a wide range of services including food provision, water purification and coastal protection. Pacific small island developing states (PSIDS) have limited natural resources, challenging economies and a need for marine science research. Seagrasses occur in eleven PSIDS and nations are likely to benefit in different ways depending on habitat health, habitat cover and location, and species presence. Globally seagrass habitats are declining as a result of anthropogenic impacts including climate change and in PSIDS pressure on already stressed coastal ecosystems, will likely threaten seagrass survival particularly close to expanding urban settlements. Improved coastal and urban planning at local, national and regional scales is needed to reduce human impacts on vulnerable coastal areas. Research is required to generate knowledge-based solutions to support effective coastal management and protection of the existing seagrass habitats, including strenghened documentation the socio-economic and environmental services they provide. For PSIDS, protection of seagrass service benefits requires six priority actions: seagrass habitat mapping, regulation of coastal and upstream development, identification of specific threats at vulnerable locations, a critique of cost-effective restoration options, research devoted to seagrass studies and more explicit policy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilianne Brodie
- Institute of Applied Sciences, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji.
| | - Elisabeth Holland
- School of Marine Studies, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji; Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
| | - Antoine De Ramon N'Yeurt
- Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
| | - Katy Soapi
- Research Office, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
| | - Jeremy Hills
- Research Office, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
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Cowley KL, Fryirs KA. Forgotten peatlands of eastern Australia: An unaccounted carbon capture and storage system. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 730:139067. [PMID: 32388379 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In a carbon-constrained world, global peatlands are vital carbon capture and storage systems. Here we calculate regional carbon stocks, sequestration rates and potential carbon emissions of Temperate Highland Peat Swamps on Sandstone (THPSS) found in low order headwater streams in eastern Australia. We find that total carbon stocks within THPSS in two regions are 25 Mt CO2 eq. with annual carbon sequestration rates at 60.5 kt CO2 eq. A risk assessment model, based on anthropogenic activities known to impair the carbon storage functions of THPSS is used to identify swamps most at risk of carbon loss. Potential CO2 emissions from at risk swamps could be up to 8.6 Mt CO2 eq. When carbon stock is valued at the current carbon abatement price of $AUD16.10 t-1 CO2 eq, the total value of THPSS is over AUD$404 million dollars (US$281 million). This makes a strong economic case for the implementation of sustainable swamp conservation and restoration activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten L Cowley
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Kirstie A Fryirs
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia.
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Filbee-Dexter K, Wernberg T. Substantial blue carbon in overlooked Australian kelp forests. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12341. [PMID: 32703990 PMCID: PMC7378163 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69258-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Recognition of the potential for vegetated coastal ecosystems to store and sequester carbon has led to their increasing inclusion into global carbon budgets and carbon offset schemes. However, kelp forests have been overlooked in evaluations of this 'blue carbon', which have been limited to tidal marshes, mangrove forests, and seagrass beds. We determined the continental-scale contribution to blue carbon from kelp forests in Australia using areal extent, biomass, and productivity measures from across the entire Great Southern Reef. We reveal that these kelp forests represent 10.3-22.7 Tg C and contribute 1.3-2.8 Tg C year-1 in sequestered production, amounting to more than 30% of total blue carbon stored and sequestered around the Australian continent, and ~ 3% of the total global blue carbon. We conclude that the omission of kelp forests from blue carbon assessments significantly underestimates the carbon storage and sequestration potential from vegetated coastal ecosystems globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Filbee-Dexter
- Institute of Marine Research, 4817, His, Norway.,UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Thomas Wernberg
- Institute of Marine Research, 4817, His, Norway. .,UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia. .,Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
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Gorham C, Lavery P, Kelleway JJ, Salinas C, Serrano O. Soil Carbon Stocks Vary Across Geomorphic Settings in Australian Temperate Tidal Marsh Ecosystems. Ecosystems 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-020-00520-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
AbstractTidal marshes rank among the ecosystems with the highest capacity to sequester and store organic carbon (Corg) on earth. To inform conservation of coastal vegetated ecosystems for climate change mitigation, this study investigated the factors driving variability in carbon storage. We estimated soil Corg stocks in tidal marshes across temperate Western Australia and assessed differences among geomorphic settings (marine and fluvial deltas, and mid-estuary) and vegetation type (Sarcocornia quinqueflora and Juncus kraussii) linked to soil biogeochemistry. Soil Corg stocks within fluvial and mid-estuary settings were significantly higher (209 ± 14 and 211 ± 20 Mg Corg ha−1, respectively; 1-m-thick soils) than in marine counterparts (156 ± 12 Mg Corg ha−1), which can be partially explained by higher preservation of soil Corg in fluvial and mid-estuary settings rich in fine-grained (< 0.063 mm) sediments (49 ± 3% and 47 ± 4%, respectively) compared to marine settings (23 ± 4%). Soil Corg stocks were not significantly different between S. quinqueflora and J. kraussii marshes (185 ± 13 and 202 ± 13 Mg Corg ha−1, respectively). The higher contribution of tidal marsh plus supratidal vegetation in fluvial (80%) and intermediate (76%) compared to marine (57%) settings further explains differences in soil Corg stocks. The estimated soil Corg stocks in temperate Western Australia’s tidal marshes (57 Tg Corg within ~ 3000 km2 extent) correspond to about 2% of worldwide tidal marsh soil Corg stocks. The results obtained identify global drivers of soil Corg storage in tidal marshes and can be used to target hot spots for climate change mitigation based on tidal marsh conservation.
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Rabaoui L, Cusack M, Saderne V, Krishnakumar PK, Lin YJ, Shemsi AM, El Zrelli R, Arias-Ortiz A, Masqué P, Duarte CM, Qurban MA. Anthropogenic-induced acceleration of elemental burial rates in blue carbon repositories of the Arabian Gulf. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 719:135177. [PMID: 31864782 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Along the past century, the Arabian Gulf has experienced a continuous and fast coastal development leading to increase the human pressures on the marine environment. The present study attempts to describe the historical changes of trace elements in the sediments of vegetated coastal habitats in the western Arabian Gulf. 210Pb-dated sediment cores collected from seagrass, mangrove and saltmarsh habitats were analyzed to evaluate historical variations in concentrations and burial rates of 20 trace elements (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sr, V and Zn). The highest correlations (Spearman correlation coefficients ≥0.51) were found between crustal elements (Al, Fe, Co, Cr, K, Na, Mg, Mn, Ni, V, and P), suggesting a common crustal source in the Gulf. The increased concentrations of these crustal elements in modern marine sediments of the Arabian Gulf seem to be linked to increased mineral dust deposition in the area. Over the last century, both elemental concentrations and burial rates increased by factors of 1-9 and 1-15, respectively, with a remarkably fast increase occurring in the past six decades (~1960 - early 2000). This is most likely due to an increase in anthropogenic pressures along the Gulf coast. Our study demonstrates that sediments in vegetated coastal habitats provide long-term archives of trace elements concentrations and burial rates reflecting human activities in the Arabian Gulf.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotfi Rabaoui
- Marine Studies Section, Center for Environment and Water, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Michael Cusack
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC) and Computational BioScience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vincent Saderne
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC) and Computational BioScience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Periyadan K Krishnakumar
- Marine Studies Section, Center for Environment and Water, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yu-Jia Lin
- Marine Studies Section, Center for Environment and Water, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahsan M Shemsi
- Marine Studies Section, Center for Environment and Water, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Radhouan El Zrelli
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse (GET), Université de Toulouse, UMR 5563 CNRS/UPS/IRD/CNES, 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Ariane Arias-Ortiz
- Departament de Física and Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; Ecosystem Science Division, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California at Berkeley, USA
| | - Pere Masqué
- Departament de Física and Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; School of Natural Sciences and Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia; School of Physics and Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC) and Computational BioScience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad A Qurban
- Marine Studies Section, Center for Environment and Water, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia; Geosciences Department, College of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia; Deputy-Ministry for Environment, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Methane Emissions from Subtropical and Tropical Mangrove Ecosystems in Taiwan. FORESTS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/f11040470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Mangroves are one of the blue carbon ecosystems. However, greenhouse gas emissions from mangrove soils may reduce the capacity of carbon storage in these systems. In this study, methane (CH4) fluxes and soil properties of the top 10 cm layer were determined in subtropical (Kandelia obovata) and tropical (Avicennia marina) mangrove ecosystems of Taiwan for a complete seasonal cycle. Our results demonstrate that CH4 emissions in mangroves cannot be neglected when constructing the carbon budgets and estimating the carbon storage capacity. CH4 fluxes were significantly higher in summer than in winter in the Avicennia mangroves. However, no seasonal variation in CH4 flux was observed in the Kandelia mangroves. CH4 fluxes were significantly higher in the mangrove soils of Avicennia than in the adjoining mudflats; this trend, however, was not necessarily recapitulated at Kandelia. The results of multiple regression analyses show that soil water and organic matter content were the main factors regulating the CH4 fluxes in the Kandelia mangroves. However, none of the soil parameters assessed show a significant influence on the CH4 fluxes in the Avicennia mangroves. Since pneumatophores can transport CH4 from anaerobic deep soils, this study suggests that the pneumatophores of Avicennia marina played a more important role than soil properties in affecting soil CH4 fluxes. Our results show that different mangrove tree species and related root structures may affect greenhouse gas emissions from the soils.
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