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McDonald AM, McDonald RB, Cebrian J, Sánchez Lizaso JL. Reconstructed life history metrics of the iconic seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) detect localized anthropogenic disturbance signatures. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 186:105901. [PMID: 36753882 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.105901] [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: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Substantial losses of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica have initiated investigations into localized resilience declines related to anthropogenic disturbances. In this study, we determined reconstructed shoot age and interannual growth metrics can detect anthropogenic impact effects on P. oceanica production. Interannual rhizome vertical growth, leaf production, and demographics of shoots collected from sewage and trawling impacted areas were examined using mixed effects modeling. Detected impact effects were specific to the type of impact, manifesting as an older-skewed age distribution of sewage outfall shoots and reduced vertical growth and reduced leaf production of trawling site shoots. A stress event period was also detected for all shoots >5 years old, with trawling impacted shoots indicating little recovery. Reconstructed age and growth metrics are simple to measure, incorporate multiple years of in situ shoot development, and are advantageous for identification of declining P. oceanica resilience prior to catastrophic losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M McDonald
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, USA; University of Florida| IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, Cedar Key, Florida, USA.
| | | | - Just Cebrian
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, USA; Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University, Stennis Space Center, MS, USA
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2
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Miyamoto H, Kawachi N, Kurotani A, Moriya S, Suda W, Suzuki K, Matsuura M, Tsuji N, Nakaguma T, Ishii C, Tsuboi A, Shindo C, Kato T, Udagawa M, Satoh T, Wada S, Masuya H, Miyamoto H, Ohno H, Kikuchi J. Computational estimation of sediment symbiotic bacterial structures of seagrasses overgrowing downstream of onshore aquaculture. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 219:115130. [PMID: 36563976 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Coastal seagrass meadows are essential in blue carbon and aquatic ecosystem services. However, this ecosystem has suffered severe eutrophication and destruction due to the expansion of aquaculture. Therefore, methods for the flourishing of seagrass are still being explored. Here, data from 49 public coastal surveys on the distribution of seagrass and seaweed around the onshore aquaculture facilities are revalidated, and an exceptional area where the seagrass Zostera marina thrives was found near the shore downstream of the onshore aquaculture facility. To evaluate the characteristics of the sediment for growing seagrass, physicochemical properties and bacterial ecological evaluations of the sediment were conducted. Evaluation of chemical properties in seagrass sediments confirmed a significant increase in total carbon and a decrease in zinc content. Association analysis and linear discriminant analysis refined bacterial candidates specified in seagrass overgrown- and nonovergrown-sediment. Energy landscape analysis indicated that the symbiotic bacterial groups of seagrass sediment were strongly affected by the distance close to the seagrass-growing aquaculture facility despite their bacterial population appearing to fluctuate seasonally. The bacterial population there showed an apparent decrease in the pathogen candidates belonging to the order Flavobacteriales. Moreover, structure equation modeling and a linear non-Gaussian acyclic model based on the machine learning data estimated an optimal sediment symbiotic bacterial group candidate for seagrass growth as follows: the Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae families as gut-inhabitant bacteria, Rhodobacteraceae as photosynthetic bacteria, and Desulfobulbaceae as cable bacteria modulating oxygen or nitrate reduction and oxidation of sulfide. These observations confer a novel perspective on the sediment symbiotic bacterial structures critical for blue carbon and low-pathogenic marine ecosystems in aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirokuni Miyamoto
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University: Matsudo, Chiba, 271-8501, Japan; RIKEN Center for Integrated Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan; Japan Eco-science (Nikkan Kagaku) Co. Ltd.: Chiba, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan; Sermas Co., Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan.
| | | | - Atsushi Kurotani
- Research Center for Agricultural Information Technology, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan
| | - Shigeharu Moriya
- RIKEN, Center for Advanced Photonics, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Wataru Suda
- RIKEN Center for Integrated Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Kenta Suzuki
- RIKEN, BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Makiko Matsuura
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University: Matsudo, Chiba, 271-8501, Japan; Sermas Co., Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan
| | - Naoko Tsuji
- Sermas Co., Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan
| | - Teruno Nakaguma
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University: Matsudo, Chiba, 271-8501, Japan; Japan Eco-science (Nikkan Kagaku) Co. Ltd.: Chiba, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan; Sermas Co., Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan
| | - Chitose Ishii
- RIKEN Center for Integrated Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan; Sermas Co., Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan
| | - Arisa Tsuboi
- Japan Eco-science (Nikkan Kagaku) Co. Ltd.: Chiba, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Chie Shindo
- Research Center for Agricultural Information Technology, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan
| | - Tamotsu Kato
- RIKEN Center for Integrated Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Motoaki Udagawa
- Keiyo Gas Energy Solution Co. Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan
| | - Takashi Satoh
- Division of Hematology, Kitasato University School of Allied Health Sciences, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0329, Japan
| | - Satoshi Wada
- RIKEN, Center for Advanced Photonics, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Masuya
- RIKEN, BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Hisashi Miyamoto
- Sermas Co., Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan; Miroku Co.Ltd.: Kitsuki, Oita, 873-0021, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ohno
- RIKEN Center for Integrated Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Jun Kikuchi
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan.
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3
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Leduc M, Abadie A, Viala C, Bouchard A, Iborra L, Fontaine Q, Lepoint G, Marengo M, Pergent G, Gobert S, Lejeune P, Monnier B. A multi-approach inventory of the blue carbon stocks of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows: Large scale application in Calvi Bay (Corsica, NW Mediterranean). MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 183:105847. [PMID: 36535083 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105847] [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: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In Mediterranean, Posidonia oceanica develops a belowground complex structure ('matte') able to store large amounts of carbon over thousands of years. The inventory of blue carbon stocks requires the coupling of mapping techniques and in situ sediment sampling to assess the size and the variability of these stocks. This study aims to quantify the organic (Corg) and inorganic (Cinorg) carbon stocks in the P. oceanica matte of the Calvi Bay (Corsica) using sub-bottom profiler imagery and biogeochemical analysis of sediment cores. The matte thicknesses map (average ± SD: 2.2 m ± 0.4 m) coupled with marine benthic habitat cartography allows to estimate matte volume at 12 473 352 m3. The cumulative stocks were assessed at 20.2-50.3 kg Corg m-2 and 26.6-58.7 kg Cinorg m-2 within the first meter of depth on matte (3632 ± 486 cal yr BP). The data contributed to estimate the overall carbon stocks at 389 994 t Corg and 615 558 t Cinorg, offering a new insight of the heterogeneity of blue carbon stocks in seagrass meadows. Variability of carbon storage capacity of matte influenced by substrate is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michèle Leduc
- STARESO, BP 33, Pointe de la Revellata, 20260, Calvi, France.
| | - Arnaud Abadie
- Seaviews, 603 chemin des Severiers Nord, 13600, La Ciotat, France; Agence de l'eau Artois-Picardie, 200 rue Marceline, B.P. 80818, 59508, Douai, France
| | - Christophe Viala
- Seaviews, 603 chemin des Severiers Nord, 13600, La Ciotat, France
| | - Alban Bouchard
- iXblue, Acoustic Systems Business Unit, 46 quai François Mitterrand, 13600, La Ciotat, France
| | - Laura Iborra
- STARESO, BP 33, Pointe de la Revellata, 20260, Calvi, France
| | | | - Gilles Lepoint
- Laboratory of Trophic and Isotope Ecology (LETIS), UR FOCUS, University of Liège, 15 allée du six août, B-4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Michel Marengo
- STARESO, BP 33, Pointe de la Revellata, 20260, Calvi, France
| | - Gérard Pergent
- Equipe Ecosystèmes Littoraux, UMR CNRS SPE 6134, Università di Corsica Pasquale Paoli, Campus Grimaldi, BP 52, 20250, Corte, France
| | - Sylvie Gobert
- STARESO, BP 33, Pointe de la Revellata, 20260, Calvi, France; Laboratory of Oceanology, MARE Centre, UR FOCUS, University of Liège, 15 allée du six août, B-4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Pierre Lejeune
- STARESO, BP 33, Pointe de la Revellata, 20260, Calvi, France
| | - Briac Monnier
- Equipe Ecosystèmes Littoraux, UMR CNRS SPE 6134, Università di Corsica Pasquale Paoli, Campus Grimaldi, BP 52, 20250, Corte, France
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Ontiveros-Cuadras JF, Ruiz-Fernández AC, Pérez-Bernal LH, Santiago-Pérez S, González Y González S, Ávila E, Cardoso-Mohedano JG, Sanchez-Cabeza JA. Accumulation and fluxes of potentially toxic elements in a large coastal lagoon (southern Gulf of Mexico) from 210Pb sediment chronologies. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 181:113839. [PMID: 35843162 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113839] [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: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Three 210Pb-dated sediment cores were used to evaluate the contamination degree and flux ratios of potentially toxic elements (PTEs; As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) in seagrass meadows from the northern margin of Términos Lagoon (TL), southern Gulf of Mexico. The sediments displayed minor Cd, Ni, V, and Zn enrichments but moderate to strong enrichment by As. Results from a chemometric analysis revealed that: 1) salinization and grain size, along with 2) the terrigenous inputs are the major factors influencing the PTEs accumulation. The historical trends of PTEs flux ratios nearly follow the large-scale land-use changes around TL, linked to the growth of the Mexican oil industry in the area since the 1970s. Our findings showed the critical role of seagrass meadows as PTEs sinks. This information is useful for decision-makers to develop restoration projects for a vulnerable site within the largest coastal lagoon ecosystem in Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Feliciano Ontiveros-Cuadras
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Procesos Oceánicos y Costeros, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 México City, Mexico.
| | - Ana Carolina Ruiz-Fernández
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Calz. Joel Montes Camarena s/n, 82040 Mazatlán, Mexico.
| | - Libia Hascibe Pérez-Bernal
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Calz. Joel Montes Camarena s/n, 82040 Mazatlán, Mexico.
| | - Susana Santiago-Pérez
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Procesos Oceánicos y Costeros, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 México City, Mexico.
| | - Saraí González Y González
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Facultad de Ciencias, Ciencias de la Tierra, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 México City, Mexico.
| | - Enrique Ávila
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Estación El Carmen, Carr. Carmen-Puerto Real km. 9.5, 24157 Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico.
| | - José Gilberto Cardoso-Mohedano
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Estación El Carmen, Carr. Carmen-Puerto Real km. 9.5, 24157 Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico.
| | - Joan-Albert Sanchez-Cabeza
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Calz. Joel Montes Camarena s/n, 82040 Mazatlán, Mexico.
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Fest BJ, Swearer SE, Arndt SK. A review of sediment carbon sampling methods in mangroves and their broader impacts on stock estimates for blue carbon ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 816:151618. [PMID: 34774962 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151618] [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: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs), such as mangroves, tidal marshes, and seagrasses, are attracting interest for their potential to mitigate climate change arising from their high rates of carbon accumulation and the significant carbon stocks in their sediments. However, current sediment carbon sampling methods present a mixture of approaches adopted from paleoenvironmental methods focused on historical reconstruction of carbon accumulation, and from soil science methods developed to provide highly accurate and spatially representative carbon stock measurements. Currently, no international standard method for sediment carbon stock analysis exists. Consequently, current estimates of sediment carbon stock values for BCEs may have large uncertainties due to variable methodology. We reviewed and analysed the methods used 217 studies included in two recent global syntheses of carbon stocks in mangrove forest ecosystems to illustrate a lack of consistency in sediment sampling. We then outline how the choice of study design and field sampling methods can introduce inaccuracies and uncertainties in sediment carbon stock analysis. We conclude with examples of how each of these challenges can be resolved and how greater carbon stock quantification accuracy and higher spatial integration can be achieved for blue carbon ecosystems in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt J Fest
- School of BioSciences and National Centre for Coasts and Climate, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation, Federation University Australia, Mt Helen, Victoria 3350, Australia.
| | - Stephen E Swearer
- School of BioSciences and National Centre for Coasts and Climate, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Stefan K Arndt
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences and National Centre for Coasts and Climate, The University of Melbourne, Burnley Campus, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia
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6
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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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7
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Casella N, Careddu G, Calizza E, Sporta Caputi S, Rossi L, Belluscio A, Ardizzone G, Calcagnile L, Quarta G, D'Elia M, Costantini ML. Increasing nutrient inputs over the last 500 years in an Italian low-impacted seagrass meadow. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 174:113298. [PMID: 34995890 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113298] [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: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Posidonia oceanica is a seagrass endemic to the Mediterranean and it has been widely used as a bioindicator. We studied the layers of a 500-year-old matte using a multiproxy approach (δ13C, δ15N, 14C and C and N concentrations in seagrass debris) in order to evaluate the potential of P. oceanica as a long-term environmental indicator of N pollution and CO2 emissions. From 1581 to 1800, accumulation rate was ca. 0.35 cm year-1, while in the last 100 years it has amounted to ca. 0.51 cm year-1. We observed increasing δ15N values with height in the vertical matte profile, indicating an increase in anthropogenic organic N inputs over time. In contrast, no clear trend in the δ13C values was observed. This study reconstructs the long-term impact of human activities on a seagrass meadow located off the Italian coast, yielding long-term background information that can help managers to implement efficient plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Casella
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulio Careddu
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, Rome, Italy.
| | - Edoardo Calizza
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Sporta Caputi
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Loreto Rossi
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Belluscio
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Lucio Calcagnile
- CEDAD (CEnter of Applied Physics, DAting and Diagnostics), Department of Mathematics and Physics "Ennio De Giorgi", University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Gianluca Quarta
- CEDAD (CEnter of Applied Physics, DAting and Diagnostics), Department of Mathematics and Physics "Ennio De Giorgi", University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Marisa D'Elia
- CEDAD (CEnter of Applied Physics, DAting and Diagnostics), Department of Mathematics and Physics "Ennio De Giorgi", University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Maria Letizia Costantini
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, Rome, Italy
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Leiva-Dueñas C, Martínez Cortizas A, Piñeiro-Juncal N, Díaz-Almela E, Garcia-Orellana J, Mateo MA. Long-term dynamics of production in western Mediterranean seagrass meadows: Trade-offs and legacies of past disturbances. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 754:142117. [PMID: 33254936 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Seagrasses are marine angiosperms that can form highly productive, and valuable underwater meadows, which are currently in regression. A reliable assessment of their status and future evolution requires studies encompassing long-term temporal scales. With the aim of understanding seagrass ecosystem dynamics over the last centuries and millennia, twelve sediment cores were studied from seagrass meadows located along the Andalusian coast and at the Cabrera Island (western Mediterranean). This study is pioneer in using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as a tool to study environmental change in seagrass sediments. FTIR is a form of vibrational spectroscopy that provides information about the sediment chemical composition. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to summarise spatio-temporal data of the FTIR vibratory peaks in combination with climate and geochemical proxy data. Several PCA signals were identified: (1) one likely related to the relative changes of the main primary producers and the sedimentary environment (carbonate or siliciclastic sediments, with aromatic or aliphatic organic matter); (2) the marine community production (polysaccharides, total organic matter content and biogenic silica); and (3) the seagrass production (aromatics, carbohydrates, phenols, proteins and lipids). A decrease of seagrass production along the mainland coast was evident since AD ~1850, which may be due to combined negative impacts of seawater warming, local anthropogenic impacts, and extreme setting conditions. The legacy of these combined stressors might have influenced the current poor state of seagrass meadows in the Alboran Sea. Our results also revealed a significant long-term trade-off between the level of seagrass production and its temporal stability (calculated as the inverse of the coefficient of variation). This study provides a reliable baseline data, helping to assess the magnitude of seagrass regression and its drivers. This paleoecological information can help design more targeted management plans and identify meadows where local management could be more efficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Leiva-Dueñas
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain.
| | - Antonio Martínez Cortizas
- EcoPast (GI-1553), Facultade de Bioloxia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain
| | - Nerea Piñeiro-Juncal
- EcoPast (GI-1553), Facultade de Bioloxia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain
| | - Elena Díaz-Almela
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain
| | - Jordi Garcia-Orellana
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Física, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel A Mateo
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain; School of Natural Sciences, Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
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9
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Serrano O, Lavery PS, Bongiovanni J, Duarte CM. Impact of seagrass establishment, industrialization and coastal infrastructure on seagrass biogeochemical sinks. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 160:104990. [PMID: 32907728 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104990] [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: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The study of a Posidonia sinuosa sedimentary archive has delivered a millenary record of environmental change in Cockburn Sound (Western Australia). Ecosystem change is a major environmental problem challenging sustainable coastal development worldwide, and this study shows baseline trends and shifts in ecological processes in coastal ecosystems under environmental stress. The concentrations and fluxes of biogeochemical elements over the last 3,500 years indicate that important changes in ecosystem dynamics occurred over the last 1,000 years, in particular after ~1900's, probably related to establishment of seagrass meadows in the area and to local and regional human activities (industry and coastal development), respectively. The establishment of seagrasses ~1,000 years ago in the area of study is supported by the appearance of Posidonia fibres from ~40 cm soil depth until the core top, higher δ13C values indicating a larger contribution of seagrass-matter to the soil organic carbon pool, and increased concentration of fine sediments driven by the effect of seagrass canopy in enhancing sedimentation. The comparison of organic carbon, nutrients and metal concentrations and fluxes between pre- and post-establishment of seagrasses shows that seagrass establishment resulted in up to 9-fold increase in the soil biogeochemical sink. In ~1900's, shifts in the concentrations of metals, carbonates, organic carbon, sediment grain size, and δ13C and δ15N values of the organic matter were detected, demonstrating an alteration in seagrass ecosystem functioning following the onset of European settlement. Anthropogenic activities, and in particular the construction of a causeway in 1970's, enhanced seagrass soil organic carbon and metal accumulation rates by 36- and 39-fold, respectively, showing that human-made structures can enhance the biogeochemical sink capacity of seagrasses. Here we reconstruct the impact of human activities on seagrass ecosystem dynamics and blue carbon, which can inform local management of Cockburn Sound and seagrass conservation for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Serrano
- School of Science & Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia.
| | - Paul S Lavery
- School of Science & Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - James Bongiovanni
- School of Science & Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Red Sea Research Center, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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10
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Leiva-Dueñas C, Leavitt PR, Buchaca T, Cortizas AM, López-Merino L, Serrano O, Lavery PS, Schouten S, Mateo MA. Factors regulating primary producers' assemblages in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile ecosystems over the past 1800 years. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 718:137163. [PMID: 32088473 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137163] [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: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile meadows are highly productive coastal marine ecosystems that provide multiple ecosystem services. The seagrass is not always the major contributor to total primary production, however, little is known about long-term changes in the composition of primary producers within seagrass meadows. Understanding compositional shifts within the community of primary producers is crucial to evaluate how climate and anthropogenic change affect the functioning of seagrass ecosystems. Here we analysed marker pigment composition in seagrass cores from two bays of the Cabrera Island (Balearic Islands, Spain) to asses long-term changes in phototrophic community composition and production in seagrass meadows, and identify the environmental factors triggering those changes. The proxy dataset was explored using principal component analyses (PCA): one including the pigment dataset to look for associations between producers' groups, and another one combining the pigment dataset with plausible local and global regulatory factors to assess the environmental drivers of change. Analyses of characteristic pigments and morphological fossils (cysts) showed that the abundance of dinoflagellates increased over the last 150-300 years, coeval with a rise in solar irradiance and air temperature. When compared among embayments, pigments from cyanobacteria predominated in seagrass meadows located at Es Port, a sheltered bay receiving higher terrestrial runoff; whereas pigments from diatoms, seagrasses and rodophytes were more common at Santa Maria, an exposed bay with clearer waters. Water depth also played a role in controlling the phototrophic community composition, with greater abundance of diatoms in the shallowest waters (<5 m). Overall, our results suggested that historical and spatial variation in seagrass meadows' phototrophic community composition was influenced by the interaction between local factors (catchment-bay characteristics) and global climate processes (energy influx). Together these patterns forecast how marine primary producers and seagrass ecosystem structure may respond to future global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Leiva-Dueñas
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain.
| | - Peter R Leavitt
- Institute of Environmental Change and Society, University of Regina, Regina, Canada; Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Teresa Buchaca
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain
| | - Antonio Martínez Cortizas
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain; EcoPast (GI-1553), Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Lourdes López-Merino
- EcoPast (GI-1553), Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Oscar Serrano
- School of Natural Sciences and Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
| | - Paul S Lavery
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain; School of Natural Sciences and Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
| | - Stefan Schouten
- Department of Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, the Netherlands; Department of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Miguel A Mateo
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain; School of Natural Sciences and Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
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11
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Hyman AC, Frazer TK, Jacoby CA, Frost JR, Kowalewski M. Long-term persistence of structured habitats: seagrass meadows as enduring hotspots of biodiversity and faunal stability. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191861. [PMID: 31575365 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological studies indicate that structurally complex habitats support elevated biodiversity, stability and resilience. The long-term persistence of structured habitats and their importance in maintaining biodiverse hotspots remain underexplored. We combined geohistorical data (dead mollusc assemblages, 'DA') and contemporary surveys (live mollusc assemblages, 'LA') to assess the persistence of local seagrass habitats over multi-centennial timescales and to evaluate whether they acted as long-term drivers of biodiversity, stability and resilience of associated fauna. We sampled structured seagrass meadows and open sandy bottoms along Florida's Gulf Coast. Results indicated that: (i) LA composition differed significantly between the two habitat types, (ii) LA from seagrass sites were characterized by significantly elevated local biodiversity and significantly higher spatial stability, (iii) DA composition differed significantly between the two habitat types, and (iv) fidelity between LA and DA was significantly greater for seagrass habitats. Contemporary results support the hypotheses that local biodiversity and spatial stability of marine benthos are both elevated in structured seagrass habitats. Geohistorical results suggest that structured habitats persist as local hotspots of elevated biodiversity and faunal stability over centennial-to-millennial timescales; indicating that habitat degradation and concomitant loss within structurally complex marine systems is a key driver of declining biodiversity and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Challen Hyman
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, 1659 Museum Road, PO Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800, USA.,School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, 103 Black Hall, 1128 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611-6455, USA.,Mattie M. Kelly Environmental Institute, Northwest Florida State College, 100 College Boulevard East, Building 350, Niceville, FL 32578, USA.,Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance, 109 South Greenway Trail, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459, USA
| | - Thomas K Frazer
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, 103 Black Hall, 1128 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611-6455, USA.,Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, 7922 NW 71st Street, Gainesville, FL 32653, USA
| | - Charles A Jacoby
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, 103 Black Hall, 1128 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611-6455, USA.,Soil and Water Sciences Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, PO Box 0290, Gainesville, FL 32611-0290, USA
| | - Jessica R Frost
- Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, 7922 NW 71st Street, Gainesville, FL 32653, USA
| | - Michał Kowalewski
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, 1659 Museum Road, PO Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800, USA
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12
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Krause-Jensen D, Serrano O, Apostolaki ET, Gregory DJ, Duarte CM. Seagrass sedimentary deposits as security vaults and time capsules of the human past. AMBIO 2019; 48:325-335. [PMID: 30128859 PMCID: PMC6411673 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-018-1083-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Seagrass meadows form valuable ecosystems, but are considered to have low cultural value due to limited research efforts in this field. We provide evidence that seagrass deposits play a hitherto unrealized central role in preserving valuable submerged archaeological and historical heritage across the world, while also providing an historical archive of human cultural development over time. We highlight three case studies showing the significance of seagrass in protecting underwater cultural heritage in Denmark, the Mediterranean and Australia. Moreover, we present an overview of additional evidence compiled from the literature. We emphasize that this important role of seagrasses is linked to their capacity to form thick sedimentary deposits, accumulating over time, thereby covering and sealing submerged archaeological heritage. Seagrass conservation and restoration are key to protecting this buried heritage while also supporting the role of seagrass deposits as carbon sinks as well as the many other important ecosystem functions of seagrasses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorte Krause-Jensen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Oscar Serrano
- School of Science, Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA Australia
| | - Eugenia T. Apostolaki
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, PO Box 2214, 71003 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - David J. Gregory
- Department of Conservation and Natural Science, The National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carlos M. Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900 Saudi Arabia
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
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13
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Lafratta A, Serrano O, Masqué P, Mateo MA, Fernandes M, Gaylard S, Lavery PS. Seagrass soil archives reveal centennial-scale metal smelter contamination while acting as natural filters. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 649:1381-1392. [PMID: 30308907 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 08/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The upper Spencer Gulf in South Australia hosts the world's largest single stream Pb-Zn smelter, which has caused environmental and health issues related to elevated metal concentrations in the surrounding environment. The area also has extensive seagrass meadows, occupying >4000 km2. We reconstructed the fluxes of heavy metals over the last ~3000 years through a multi-parameter study of the soil archives formed by the seagrass Posidonia australis. Pb, Zn and Cd concentrations increased up to 9-fold following the onset of smelter operations in the 1880s, and the stable Pb isotopic signatures confirmed the smelter has been the main source of lead pollution in the seagrass soils until present. Preliminary estimates suggest that over the past 15 years seagrass meadows within 70 km2 of the smelter accumulated ~7-15% of the smelter emissions in their soils. Here we demonstrate that seagrass meadows act as pollution filters and sinks while their soils provide a record of environmental conditions, allowing baseline conditions to be identified and revealing the time-course of environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Lafratta
- School of Science, Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia.
| | - O Serrano
- School of Science, Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
| | - P Masqué
- School of Science, Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia; The UWA Oceans Institute, School of Physics, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; Departament de Física, Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - M A Mateo
- School of Science, 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 Cientificas, Blanes 17300, Spain
| | - M Fernandes
- South Australian Water Corporation (SA Water), GPO Box 1751, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia; School of the Environment, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
| | - S Gaylard
- South Australian Environment Protection Authority, GPO Box 2607, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
| | - P S Lavery
- School of Science, 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 Cientificas, Blanes 17300, Spain
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14
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Mazarrasa I, Samper-Villarreal J, Serrano O, Lavery PS, Lovelock CE, Marbà N, Duarte CM, Cortés J. Habitat characteristics provide insights of carbon storage in seagrass meadows. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 134:106-117. [PMID: 29459167 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.01.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2017] [Revised: 01/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Seagrass meadows provide multiple ecosystem services, yet they are among the most threatened ecosystems on earth. Because of their role as carbon sinks, protection and restoration of seagrass meadows contribute to climate change mitigation. Blue Carbon strategies aim to enhance CO2 sequestration and avoid greenhouse gasses emissions through the management of coastal vegetated ecosystems, including seagrass meadows. The implementation of Blue Carbon strategies requires a good understanding of the habitat characteristics that influence Corg sequestration. Here, we review the existing knowledge on Blue Carbon research in seagrass meadows to identify the key habitat characteristics that influence Corg sequestration in seagrass meadows, those factors that threaten this function and those with unclear effects. We demonstrate that not all seagrass habitats have the same potential, identify research priorities and describe the implications of the results found for the implementation and development of efficient Blue Carbon strategies based on seagrass meadows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Mazarrasa
- Department of Global Change Research, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, C/ Miguel Marqués 21, 07190 Esporles, Mallorca, Spain; Environmental Hydraulics Institute "IH Cantabria", Universidad de Cantabria, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Cantabria, 39011 Santander, Spain.
| | - Jimena Samper-Villarreal
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, 11501-2060 San José, Costa Rica
| | - Oscar Serrano
- Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
| | - Paul S Lavery
- Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia; Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Calle de Acceso a la Cala Sant Francesc, 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain
| | - Catherine E Lovelock
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Núria Marbà
- Department of Global Change Research, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, C/ Miguel Marqués 21, 07190 Esporles, Mallorca, Spain
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Red Sea Research Center, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jorge Cortés
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, 11501-2060 San José, Costa Rica; Escuela de Biología y Museo de Zoología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, 11501-2060 San José, Costa Rica
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15
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Trevathan-Tackett SM, Thomson ACG, Ralph PJ, Macreadie PI. Fresh carbon inputs to seagrass sediments induce variable microbial priming responses. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 621:663-669. [PMID: 29197285 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Microbes are the 'gatekeepers' of the marine carbon cycle, yet the mechanisms for how microbial metabolism drives carbon sequestration in coastal ecosystems are still being defined. The proximity of coastal habitats to runoff and disturbance creates ideal conditions for microbial priming, i.e., the enhanced remineralisation of stored carbon in response to fresh substrate availability and oxygen introduction. Microbial priming, therefore, poses a risk for enhanced CO2 release in these carbon sequestration hotspots. Here we quantified the existence of priming in seagrass sediments and showed that the addition of fresh carbon stimulated a 1.7- to 2.7-fold increase in CO2 release from recent and accumulated carbon deposits. We propose that priming taking place at the sediment surface is a natural occurrence and can be minimised by the recalcitrant components of the fresh inputs (i.e., lignocellulose) and by reduced metabolism in low oxygen and high burial rate conditions. Conversely, priming of deep sediments after the reintroduction to the water column through physical disturbances (e.g., dredging, boat scars) would cause rapid remineralisation of previously preserved carbon. Microbial priming is identified as a process that weakens sediment carbon storage capacity and is a pathway to CO2 release in disturbed or degraded seagrass ecosystems; however, increased management and restoration practices can reduce these anthropogenic disturbances and enhance carbon sequestration capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey M Trevathan-Tackett
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, 15 Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia.
| | - Alexandra C G Thomson
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, 15 Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Peter J Ralph
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, 15 Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Peter I Macreadie
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, 15 Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
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16
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Potouroglou M, Bull JC, Krauss KW, Kennedy HA, Fusi M, Daffonchio D, Mangora MM, Githaiga MN, Diele K, Huxham M. Measuring the role of seagrasses in regulating sediment surface elevation. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11917. [PMID: 28928433 PMCID: PMC5605501 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12354-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Seagrass meadows provide numerous ecosystem services and their rapid global loss may reduce human welfare as well as ecological integrity. In common with the other 'blue carbon' habitats (mangroves and tidal marshes) seagrasses are thought to provide coastal defence and encourage sediment stabilisation and surface elevation. A sophisticated understanding of sediment elevation dynamics in mangroves and tidal marshes has been gained by monitoring a wide range of different sites, located in varying hydrogeomorphological conditions over long periods. In contrast, similar evidence for seagrasses is sparse; the present study is a contribution towards filling this gap. Surface elevation change pins were deployed in four locations, Scotland, Kenya, Tanzania and Saudi Arabia, in both seagrass and unvegetated control plots in the low intertidal and shallow subtidal zone. The presence of seagrass had a highly significant, positive impact on surface elevation at all sites. Combined data from the current work and the literature show an average difference of 31 mm per year in elevation rates between vegetated and unvegetated areas, which emphasizes the important contribution of seagrass in facilitating sediment surface elevation and reducing erosion. This paper presents the first multi-site study for sediment surface elevation in seagrasses in different settings and species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Potouroglou
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - James C Bull
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Ken W Krauss
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, 700 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette, Louisiana, 70506, USA
| | | | - Marco Fusi
- Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Daniele Daffonchio
- Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mwita M Mangora
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Michael N Githaiga
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK.,Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), Mombasa, Kenya
| | - Karen Diele
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK.,St Abbs Marine Station, The Harbour, St Abbs, UK
| | - Mark Huxham
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK
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17
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Gullström M, Lyimo LD, Dahl M, Samuelsson GS, Eggertsen M, Anderberg E, Rasmusson LM, Linderholm HW, Knudby A, Bandeira S, Nordlund LM, Björk M. Blue Carbon Storage in Tropical Seagrass Meadows Relates to Carbonate Stock Dynamics, Plant–Sediment Processes, and Landscape Context: Insights from the Western Indian Ocean. Ecosystems 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-017-0170-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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