Analysis of intrinsic value and estimating losses of “blue carbon” in coastal wetlands: a case study of Yancheng, China

Abstract

Introduction: Large stocks of "blue carbon" exist in the ecosystems of coastal wetlands. This paper presents a case study of the Chinese city of Yancheng. First, through field surveys and laboratory analysis, changes in the organic carbon (OC) content in typical plant communities throughout the study area are described in detail. Second, an OC burial rate and economic value model is constructed to analyze the composition of the carbon sink values. Outcomes/other: The results are as follows: Of the typical plant communities, Spartina alterniflora has the highest OC content (5.80 g•kg-1), followed by Suaeda glauca (4.78 g•kg-1) and Phragmites australis (3.76 g•kg-1); the contemporary OC sedimentation rates are 2.01, 1.48, and 1.22 cm•yr-1, respectively. Spartina alterniflora communities have the highest annual average carbon sink value ($418.74/ha) in the study area, followed by Phragmites australis ($176.29/ha) and Suaeda glauca ($101.54/ha). Discussion: As a result of both the expansion of the Spartina alterniflora area and coastal erosion, the total OC value since 1987 has displayed two-stage characteristics: it first increased and then decreased. Conclusion: In recent years, the annual average

Conceptual Model of Ecosystem Service Flows from Carbon Dioxide to Blue Carbon in Coastal Wetlands: An Empirical Study Based on Yancheng, China

“…The reason for this is that, considering the great interference of vegetation types caused by human activities since 2002 in the study area, it is difficult to determine the blue carbon source of columnar soil samples more than 30 cm from the surface. Therefore, this paper referred to the previous research results and, according to the modern deposition rate of less than 2 cm per year in the study area [28], developed the sampling method.…”

Blue carbon development in China: realistic foundation, internal demands, and the construction of blue carbon market trading mode

“…The value of blue carbon sinks can be realized by establishing a longterm mechanism to transform the value of blue carbon ecological products into economic value. This mechanism can promote the protection and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems, preventing their continuous degradation and transformation into carbon emission sources (Zang, 2019;Friess et al, 2022).…”

Analysis of the contributions of human factors and natural factors affecting the vegetation pattern in coastal wetlands

“…Before the 1990s, this area, particularly the core zone of the two national nature reserves, was strictly protected (Wang et al 2011), and natural factors played a dominant role in the evolution of the vegetation patterns. Due to a lack of stable sediment sources, the mudflats in the northern study area have been relatively severely eroded and damaged by tides, and erosion has started to advance toward the center of the core zone (Zang 2019). In addition, due to its location in the economically developed and densely populated Yangtze River Delta, the nature reserve has recently been subject to disturbance from industry (Wang et al 2010), agriculture (Li et al 2014), and aquaculture (Zuo et al 2004;Zang et al 2019) in both local and adjacent areas.…”