Hypersaline tidal flats as important “blue carbon” systems: a case study from three ecosystems

Brown, Dylan R.; Marotta, Humberto; Peixoto, Roberta Bittencourt; Enrich‐Prast, Alex; Barroso, Glenda Camila; Soares, Mário Luiz Gomes; Machado, Wilson; Pérez, Alexander; Smoak, Joseph M.; Sanders, Luciana M.; Conrad, Stephen R.; Sippo, James Z.; Santos, Isaac R.; Maher, Damien T.; Sanders, Christian J.

doi:10.5194/bg-18-2527-2021

Cited by 23 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…The approach for estimating changes in SOC stocks was based on the mass of organic carbon and accumulation rates in soils from a national collation of SOC sequestration rates in coastal wetlands (Serrano et al 2019) updated to include recently published and unpublished datasets, including those for supratidal forests (Adame et al 2020; Jones et al 2019; Kelleway et al 2021) and sparsely vegetated saltmarshes or salt flats (Brown et al 2021) (Table S1).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Australian blue carbon method to estimate climate change mitigation benefits of coastal wetland restoration

Lovelock

Adame

Bradley

et al. 2022

Restoration Ecology

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Restoration of coastal wetlands has the potential to deliver both climate change mitigation, called blue carbon, and adaptation benefits to coastal communities, as well as supporting biodiversity and providing additional ecosystem services. Valuing carbon sequestration may incentivize restoration projects; however, it requires development of rigorous methods for quantifying blue carbon sequestered during coastal wetland restoration. We describe the development of a blue carbon accounting model (BlueCAM) used within the Tidal Restoration of Blue Carbon Ecosystems Methodology Determination 2022 of the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF), which is Australia's voluntary carbon market scheme. The new BlueCAM uses Australian data to estimate abatement from carbon and greenhouse gas sources and sinks arising from coastal wetland restoration (via tidal restoration) and aligns with the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories. BlueCAM includes carbon sequestered in soils and biomass and avoided emissions from alternative land uses. A conservative modeled approach was used to provide estimates of abatement (as opposed to on-ground measurements); and in doing so, this will reduce the costs associated with monitoring and verification for ERF projects and may increase participation in blue carbon projects by Australian landholders. BlueCAM encompasses multiple climate regions and plant communities and therefore may be useful to others outside Australia seeking to value blue carbon benefits from coastal wetland restoration.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Australian blue carbon method to estimate climate change mitigation benefits of coastal wetland restoration

Lovelock

Adame

Bradley

et al. 2022

Restoration Ecology

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“…Different algae species have been shown to be more abundant in the colder subtropical months and can fix CO 2 to offset emissions (Chen et al 2019 b ). Algae can be large contributors to marine blue carbon concentrations and have been shown to make up ~ 33% of the eDNA spool in respective habitats (Ortega et al 2020; Brown et al 2021). Eukaryotic saprotrophic fungi have also been reported to produce CH 4 and could contribute to GHG budgets in ecosystems like intertidal mangrove forests (Lenhart et al 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Methanogens limited to lower rhizosphere and to an atypical salt marsh niche along a pristine intertidal mangrove continuum

Euler,

Jeffrey,

Maher

et al. 2023

Limnology & Oceanography

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Mangroves are valuable ecosystems that facilitate primary production, carbon sequestration, and regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) cycles in coastal sediments, with microorganisms playing key roles. Specialized bacteria and archaea compete for energy and resources in mangrove sediments to inhabit optimal ecological niches and can produce or consume methane (CH4)—a potent GHG—in the process. CH4 cycling in mangroves has gained growing attention, yet uncertainties regarding functional and spatial distributions of microorganisms remain. Here, we demonstrate that in a pristine mangrove forest, CH4 concentrations and methanogen communities are concentrated within lower or below rhizosphere depths. We also reveal atypical niches for methanogens in the upper tidal salt marsh zone where vegetation is sparse and highest methanogens abundances were detected at deepest depths (4715 reads g−1) despite relatively high redox potentials (> 250 mV). Pore water CH4 concentrations were highest at the deepest depth within the mangrove forest (max. 3.40 ± 0.21 μM) and coincided with the highest sediment CH4 fluxes (276.4 ± 54.2 μmol m−2d−1) and methanotroph abundances at the surface (1309 reads g−1). Sediment CH4 oxidation fractions between the deepest (60 cm) and shallowest (5 cm) depths were estimated between 18.8% and 64.9%. Positive correlation between crab burrows and CH4 fluxes suggests that CH4 from deeper sediment and salt marsh niches can be transported via conduits to the atmosphere. The spatial data from this study highlights the importance of investigating CH4 dynamics across estuarine ecosystem gradients to better understand the complex roles of vital coastal vegetation zones in the face of a changing climate.

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“…Hypersaline Tidal Flats (HTF's) are ecotones associated with mangrove ecosystems on arid and semiarid coasts (Figure 3). Despite carbon sequestration rates being lower in HTFs than in traditional BCEs (described in Section 2), worldwide HTF carbon stocks and long-term carbon sequestration rates can be substantial given their large area (Brown et al, 2021). Together with other vegetated systems, HTFs meet the requirements that define BC systems and can thus be included in global and regional management and mitigation policies (Lovelock & Duarte, 2019).…”

Section: Hypersaline Tidal Flats (Apicuns)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mangrove leaves and microphytobenthos have been identified as important sources of organic material accumulated along the sediment columns of these systems. The reported soil carbon content of Brazilian HTFs is lower than 1% (Hadlich et al, 2010;Albuquerque et al, 2014;Brown et al, 2021). Rates of organic carbon burial for a Brazilian HTF (Guaratiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro) during the last century were estimated at 17.8 (± 0.8) g C m −2 y −1 (Brown et al, 2021).…”

Section: Hypersaline Tidal Flats (Apicuns)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The reported soil carbon content of Brazilian HTFs is lower than 1% (Hadlich et al, 2010;Albuquerque et al, 2014;Brown et al, 2021). Rates of organic carbon burial for a Brazilian HTF (Guaratiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro) during the last century were estimated at 17.8 (± 0.8) g C m −2 y −1 (Brown et al, 2021). These rates are considerably lower than the global averages reported for salt marshes (245 ± 26 g m −2 y −1 ), mangrove forests (163 ± 40 g m −2 y −1 ), and seagrasses (138 ± 38 g m −2 y −1 ).…”

Section: Hypersaline Tidal Flats (Apicuns)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Blue Carbon Ecosystems in Brazil: Overview and an Urgent Call for Conservation and Restoration

et al. 2022

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In this article, we discuss knowledge and gaps regarding blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs) in Brazil, considering the urgency to apply protection actions and policies to safeguard their biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. We also indicate areas of further research to improve carbon stocks and sequestration rate estimates. We call attention to the shortage of studies on Brazilian BCEs relative to the growing knowledge on the Blue Carbon Framework accumulated worldwide over the last decade. Considering the extensive Brazilian Economic Exclusive Zone (known as “Blue Amazon”), knowledge concerning blue carbon stocks is vital at regional and global scales for mitigating global increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). The Blue Amazon has at least 1,100,000 ha of vegetated and non-vegetated coastal ecosystems (mangroves, salt marshes, seagrass meadows, and hypersaline tidal flats) that collectively contain vast amounts of stored carbon, making Brazil an ideal place to test mechanisms for evaluating, conserving, and restoring BCEs. Other poorly understood potential sinks and sources of carbon are macroalgal and rhodolith beds, mudflats, continental shelf sediments, and marine animal forests in shallow, mesophotic, and deep waters. The carbon fluxes between diverse environmental compartments, such as soil–air, soil–water, groundwater–water–surface water, air–water, and land–ocean, in BCEs across the Blue Amazon must be studied. We emphasize the importance of assessing the total carbon stock and the recent dismantling of environmental laws that pose great risks to these important BCEs. The conservation and recovery of these areas would enhance the carbon sequestration capacity of the entire country. Furthermore, we highlight priorities to improve knowledge concerning BCEs and their biogeochemical cycles in the Blue Amazon and to provide information to assist in the reduction of atmospheric levels of CO2 for the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science (2021–2030).

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Hypersaline tidal flats as important “blue carbon” systems: a case study from three ecosystems

Cited by 23 publications

References 52 publications

An Australian blue carbon method to estimate climate change mitigation benefits of coastal wetland restoration

An Australian blue carbon method to estimate climate change mitigation benefits of coastal wetland restoration

Methanogens limited to lower rhizosphere and to an atypical salt marsh niche along a pristine intertidal mangrove continuum

Blue Carbon Ecosystems in Brazil: Overview and an Urgent Call for Conservation and Restoration

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