Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Deconstructing The Mangrove Carbon Cycle: Gains, Transformation, And Losses, M. F. Adame, N. Cormier, P. Taillardat, N. Iram, A. Rovai, T. M. Sloey, E. S. Yando, J. F. Blanco-Libreros, M. Arnaud, T. Jennerjahn, C. E. Lovelock, D. Friess, G. M. S. Reithmaier, C. A. Buelow, S. M. Muhammad-Nor, R. R. Twilley, R. A. Ribeiro

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mangroves are one of the most carbon-dense forests on the Earth and have been highlighted as key ecosystems for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Hundreds of studies have investigated how mangroves fix, transform, store, and export carbon. Here, we review and synthesize the previously known and emerging carbon pathways in mangroves, including gains (woody biomass accumulation, deadwood accumulation, soil carbon sequestration, root and litterfall production), transformations (food web transfer through herbivory, decomposition), and losses (respiration as CO₂ and CH₄, litterfall export, particulate and dissolved carbon export). We then review the technologies available to measure carbon fluxes in …

Ranking The Risk Of Co2 Emissions From Seagrass Soil Carbon Stocks Under Global Change Threats, Martin Dahl, Kathryn Mcmahon, Paul S. Lavery, Serena H. Hamilton, Catherine E. Lovelock, Oscar Serrano

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Seagrass meadows are natural carbon storage hotspots at risk from global change threats, and their loss can result in the remineralization of soil carbon stocks and CO2 emissions fueling climate change. Here we used expert elicitation and empirical evidence to assess the risk of CO2 emissions from seagrass soils caused by multiple human-induced, biological and climate change threats. Judgments from 41 experts were synthesized into a seagrass CO2 emission risk score based on vulnerability factors (i.e., spatial scale, frequency, magnitude, resistance and recovery) to seagrass soil organic carbon stocks. Experts perceived that climate change threats (e.g., gradual ocean warming and …

Blue Carbon In South Florida's Mangroves: The Role Of Large Roots And Necromass, Zoë I. Shribman

LSU Master's Theses

Blue carbon sequestration and storage in mangroves largely result from belowground biomass allocation in response to flooded anaerobic soil conditions and nutrient availability. Biomass allocation to belowground roots is a major driver of mangrove soil formation and organic matter accumulation leading to blue carbon storage potential. Belowground biomass sampling in mangroves is labor intensive, limiting data availability on biomass stocks, particularly for large roots (>20 mm diameter) and necromass (dead roots). The mangrove nutrient model (NUMAN) uses mostly literature values to parameterize a soil cohort approach to simulate depth distribution of root mass and organic carbon concentration. We evaluated …

Assessment Of Soil Protein And Refractory Soil Organic Matter Across Two Chronosequences Of Newly Developing Marshes In Coastal Louisiana, Usa, Stuart Alexander Mcclellan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The impacts of sea-level rise and hydrologic manipulation are threatening the stability of coastal marshes throughout the world, thereby increasing the potential for re-mineralization of soil organic matter (SOM) in these systems. Such threats have prompted marsh restoration efforts, particularly in coastal Louisiana, yet it is unclear how the slowly decomposing (refractory) and quickly decomposing (labile) fractions of SOM may be differentially affected by different approaches to marsh restoration. Additionally, otherwise labile compounds may accumulate in the soil via a range of protective mechanisms, including rapid burial and association with organic compounds that are thought to enhance soil aggregation, such …

Top 30 Cm Soil C Org Stocks, Isotopic C Org Signature (13dc) And Fine Sediment Content (Silt And Clay %) Estimated In Soil Cores Sampled In Seagrass Meadows Around Australia [Dataset], Ines Mazarrasa, Paul Lavery, Carlos M. Duarte, Anna Lafratta, Catherine E. Lovelock, Peter I. Macreadie, Jimena Samper-Villarreal, Cristian Salinas, Christian Sanders, Stacey Trevathan-Tackett, Mary Young, Andy Steven, Oscar Serrano

Research Datasets

This database contains data on top 30 cm soil biogeochemical properties from soil cores (minimum length of 30 cm) sampled in seagrass (n=201 cores) and adjacent unvegetated patches (n=39) around Australia.

Average biogeochemical properties per core along with information about type of environment, biotic characteristics and environmental conditions.

In particular, the variables included in sheet 1 are:

- Core ID (column A): core code

- Location (column B): name of the region of the sampling site.

- Latitude / Longitude (columns C, D): latitude and longitude

- Bioregion (column E): classified the sampling sites according to …

Modeling Organic Carbon Accumulation Rates And Residence Times In Coastal Vegetated Ecosystems, E. Fay Belshe, Jose Sanjuan, Carmen Leiva-Dueñas, Nerea Piñeiro-Juncal, Oscar Serrano, Paul Lavery, Miguel Angel Mateo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Coastal vegetated “blue carbon” ecosystems can store large quantities of organic carbon (OC) within their soils; however, the importance of these sinks for climate change mitigation depends on the OC accumulation rate (CAR) and residence time. Here we evaluate how two modeling approaches, a Bayesian age-depth model alone or in combination with a two-pool OC model, aid in our understanding of the time lines of OC within seagrass soils. Fitting these models to data from Posidonia oceanica soil cores, we show that age-depth models provided reasonable CAR estimates but resulted in a 22% higher estimation of OC burial rates when …

Blue Carbon: Port Of Seattle’S Kelp, Eelgrass And Shellfish Enhancement Pilot Project, Jon Sloan

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Port of Seattle is working to become carbon neutral by 2050. In addition to reducing emissions, the Port’s strategy includes enhancing carbon sequestration through habitat restoration. To that end, the Port completed a study in 2017 to quantify sequestration benefits associated with different land cover and habitat types found in the Duwamish River estuary and Elliott Bay, including riparian forest, marsh, mudflat, eelgrass and kelp beds. The review determined that kelp and eelgrass – so called “blue carbon” – provide highly significant sequestration benefits. In fact, they sequester more carbon than almost any other habitat type in the world. …

Hydrodynamic Regime Determines The Magnitude Of Surface Sediment 'Blue Carbon' Stocks In British Columbia Eelgrass Meadows, Carolyn Prentice, Margot Hessing-Lewis, Rhea Sanders-Smith, Anne K. Salomon

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Carbon storage in marine vegetated habitats (blue carbon) is increasingly being considered in carbon financing and coastal ecosystem management. Amongst other ecosystem functions, seagrass meadows are reported to be highly efficient at sequestering and storing significant amounts of carbon. However, seagrass blue carbon data remain sparse and regionally biased to tropical regions. In the Pacific Northwest, we lack information on the magnitude and variability of carbon stocks, as well as local drivers of variability. We collected sediment cores from six eelgrass meadows on the central coast of British Columbia, Canada, to quantify sedimentary organic carbon (Corg) stocks and accumulation rates. …

Examining Sources Of Sediment Carbon Stored In Seagrass Habitats Across The Skagit Delta And Padilla Bay, Erin Murray

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The potential for seagrass (Zostera marina) habitats to store carbon is a topic of interest to resource managers and ecosystem scientists as they strive to develop and evaluate climate change mitigation strategies. I investigated the sources of carbon and nitrogen stored in Zostera marina habitats within the Salish Sea. I compared two sites, the Skagit River delta (delta) and Padilla Bay (embayment), in order to compare carbon storage and the sources of stored carbon between these two shoreline types. Within each site, I collected sediment cores in Z. marina meadows and on unvegetated mudflat. I measured changes in carbon density …