Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Substantial Blue Carbon Sequestration In The World’S Largest Seagrass Meadow, Chuancheng Fu, Sofia Frappi, Michelle N. Havlik, Wells Howe, S. David Harris, Elisa Laiolo, Austin J. Gallagher, Pere Masqué, Carlos M. Duarte

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Seagrass meadows are important sinks for organic carbon and provide co-benefits. However, data on the organic carbon stock in seagrass sediments are scarce for many regions, particularly The Bahamas, which accounts for up to 40.7% of the documented global seagrass area, limiting formulation of blue carbon strategies. Here, we sampled 10 seagrass meadows across an extensive island chain in The Bahamas. We estimate that Bahamas seagrass meadows store 0.42–0.59 Pg organic carbon in the top-meter sediments with an accumulation rate of 2.1–2.9 Tg annually, representing a substantial global blue carbon hotspot. Autochthonous organic carbon in sediments decreased from ~1980 onwards, …

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 …

Challenges To Select Suitable Habitats And Demonstrate ‘Additionality’ In Blue Carbon Projects: A Seagrass Case Study, Anna Lafratta, Oscar Serrano, Pere Masqué, Miguel A. Mateo, Milena Fernandes, Sam Gaylard, Paul S. Lavery

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 Elsevier Ltd Seagrass restoration has been suggested as a Blue Carbon (BC) strategy for climate change mitigation. For Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and carbon crediting schemes, BC projects need to demonstrate ‘additionality’, that is enhanced CO2 sequestration and/or avoided greenhouse gas emissions following management actions. This typically requires determining soil carbon accumulation rates (CAR), which is often done using radionuclides or surface elevation tables to estimate sedimentation rates. Here we undertook a case study, using 210Pb and 14C dating, to detect possible changes in Corg stocks and CAR following the loss and partial recovery of Posidonia seagrass meadows …

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 …

Habitat Characteristics Provide Insights Of Carbon Storage In Seagrass Meadows, Inés Mazarrasa, Jimena Samper-Villarreal, Oscar Serrano, Paul S. Lavery, Catherine E. Lovelock, Núrià N. Marbà, Carlos M. Duarte, Jorge A. Cortés

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

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 …

Carbon Sequestration By Australian Tidal Marshes, Peter I. Macreadie, Q. R. Oliver, J. J. Kelleway, Oscar Serrano, P. E. Carnell, C. J. Ewers Lewis, T. B. Atwood, J. Sanderman, J. Baldock, R. M. Connolly, C. M. Duarte, Paul Lavery, A. Steven, C. E, Lovelock

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Australia’s tidal marshes have suffered significant losses but their recently recognised importance in CO2 sequestration is creating opportunities for their protection and restoration. We compiled all available data on soil organic carbon (OC) storage in Australia’s tidal marshes (323 cores). OC stocks in the surface 1 m averaged 165.41 (SE 6.96) Mg OC ha − 1 (range 14 – 963 Mg OC ha − 1). The mean OC accumulation rate was 0.55 ± 0.02 Mg OC ha − 1 yr − 1. Geomorphology was the most important predictor of OC stocks, with fluvial sites having twice the stock of OC …

A Marine Heat Wave Drives Massive Losses From The World’S Largest Seagrass Carbon Stocks [Dataset], Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Oscar Serrano, Pere Masqué, Paul Lavery, Ute A. Mueller, Gary A, Kendrick, Mohammad Rozaimi, Alba Esteban, James W, Fourqurean, Núrià N. Marbà, Miquel-Angel Mateo, Kathy Murray, Michael Rule, Carlos M. Duarte

Research Datasets

The database compiles published data (in Arias-Ortiz et al., 2018) on biogeochemical characteristics (density, organic carbon, stable carbon isotopes and sediment grain size) of soils underneath seagrass meadows in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Pb-210 concentrations of the first 20 cm are included along with C-14 raw ages. The dataset compiles data for a total of 49 cores, 25 - 300 cm-long (11 cores with Pb-210 and C-14 data). Enquiries about the dataset may be sent to Ariane Arias-Ortiz: ariane.arias@uab.cat