Logo image
Back
Local geomorphological gradients affect sedimentary organic carbon storage: A Blue Carbon case study from sub-tropical Australia
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Local geomorphological gradients affect sedimentary organic carbon storage: A Blue Carbon case study from sub-tropical Australia

Celina V Cacho, Stephen R Conrad, Dylan R Brown, Alena Riggs, Kristen Gardner, Leduo Li, Dylan Laicher-Edwards, Lucy Tischler, Roxanne Hoffman, Tabitha Brown, …
Regional Studies in Marine Science, Vol.45, pp.1-8
06/2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2021.101840
url
Local geomorphological gradients affect sedimentaryView
Published (Version of record)

Related links

Metrics

68 Record Views
7 Times Cited - Web of Science

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#13 Climate Action
#14 Life Below Water

Source: InCites

Abstract

Carbon stocks Australian estuaries Blue carbon Geomorphology Tidal wetlands Sedimentary carbon
Coastal blue carbon systems (mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and tidal saltmarshes) are renowned for their efficacy at sequestering large amounts of carbon (C) in sedimentary sinks and effective management action to preserve these C stocks requires an understanding of spatial variability within an estuary. This study analysed 33 coastal blue carbon sediment cores across three subtropical estuaries of Eastern Australia. We measured depth, C content and dry bulk density down the soil profile. Mean C stocks for mangroves, seagrass and saltmarsh, up to a 3 metre depth, were estimated to be 738 72, and 823 ± 138 Mg C ha −1, respectively. Linear regression models showed the relationship between distance from ocean and C stocks was significant in mangroves and saltmarsh (p 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively), with the exception of mangroves in an urbanised estuary which displayed the inverse. The differences we observed in C stocks in mangroves and saltmarsh, not seagrass, in relation to location within the estuary may have important implications for management actions and ecological processes.

Details

Logo image