The planetary role of seagrass conservation

Science, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 377(6606), P. 609 - 613

Published: Aug. 4, 2022

Seagrasses are remarkable plants that have adapted to live in a marine environment. They form extensive meadows found globally bioengineer their local environments and preserve the coastal seascape. With increasing realization of planetary emergency we face, there is growing interest using seagrasses as nature-based solution for greenhouse gas mitigation. However, seagrass sensitivity stressors acute, many places, risk loss degradation persists. If ecological state remains compromised, then ability contribute solutions climate biodiversity crisis doubt. We examine major role play how rethinking conservation critical understanding part fighting our emergency.

Language: Английский

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A review of seagrass ecosystem services: providing nature-based solutions for a changing world

Hydrobiologia, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 850(12-13), P. 2655 - 2670

Published: June 6, 2023

Abstract Seagrasses are marine flowering plants, which form extensive meadows in intertidal and shallow water environments. They provide a wide range of ecosystem services, directly or indirectly benefit humans can be grouped into four broad categories: provisioning (e.g. food production); regulating carbon sequestration); supporting primary cultural recreational, eco-tourism). This study provides review publications focusing on seagrass services provision to identify knowledge gaps improve our understanding the use these habitats as nature-based solutions societal challenges, such climate change. Results showed that some namely provision, sequestration, maintenance biodiversity/nursery receive higher level focus attention than others, regulation diseases social relations, rarely, if ever, included studies. It is clear order fully comprehend solution potential held by ecosystems, studies need consider whole, also combine share results across global regions, better understand impacts degradation loss ecosystems worldwide. Suggestions include applying novel technologies remote sensing ecological niche modelling address main research, like meadow extent connectivity within landscapes, incorporate preservation management plans.

Language: Английский

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Long-term sediment organic carbon remineralization in different seagrass and macroalgae habitats: implication for blue carbon storage

Frontiers in Marine Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 11

Published: March 25, 2024

Seagrass and macroalgae beds are key blue carbon ecosystems in the ocean. However, coastal development climate change sparking a growing concern about vulnerability of sediment organic (OC) to remineralization after macrophyte perturbation. Thus, aim this study was assess potential long-term OC stocks (1 year) vegetated habitats (i.e., seagrasses Zostera noltei Cymodocea nodosa , Caulerpa prolifera unvegetated sediment) complete disturbance meadows under conducive conditions microorganisms growth oxygen saturated, non-nutrient limitation, turbulence dark). Leached dissolved (DOC) from particulate (POC) remineralization, carbonate dissolution photo-reactivity persistent DOC were also evaluated. Our results evidenced that, Z. entirely remineralized CO 2 . C. communities exhibited significant fraction recalcitrant OC, therefore, 42 46% still remained 1 year culture, respectively. POC released relevant amounts both labile DOC, which showed low photo-reactivity. Finally, we discuss that main argument promote management, monitoring, restoration programs for macrophytes is usually based on their deposit, favor larger species. The presented here adds arguments include small species, since may be highly once these disturbed.

Language: Английский

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Continual migration of patches within a Massachusetts seagrass meadow limits carbon accretion and storage

Communications Earth & Environment, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 6(1)

Published: Feb. 20, 2025

Language: Английский

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Capturing of organic carbon and nitrogen in eelgrass sediments of southern Scandinavia

Limnology and Oceanography, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 68(3), P. 631 - 648

Published: Jan. 13, 2023

Abstract The ability of seagrass meadows to filter nutrients and capture store CO 2 in the form organic carbon (OC) nitrogen (N) their sediments may help mitigate local eutrophication as well climate change via meadow restoration protection. This study assesses OC N sediment stocks (top 50 cm) sequestration rates within Danish eelgrass meadows. At four locations, eelgrass‐vegetated nearby unvegetated plots were studied protected exposed areas. average cm 2.6 ± 0.3 kg m −2 0.23 0.01 , including vegetated plots. In general, did not differ significantly between sediments. Lack accumulation excess 210 Pb suggested erosion or low at most sites. ranged from 6 134 g yr −1 0.7 14 . Generalized additive models showed that ≥ 80% variation was explained by grain size, matter source, hydrodynamic exposure. Long cores, dated with Pb, declining densities toward present time, suggesting long‐term declines pools. Estimates potential nation‐wide show they could annually up 0.7% 0.5% emissions 6.9% 5.2% total terrestrial load.

Language: Английский

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Loss of POC and DOC on seagrass sediments by hydrodynamics

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 901, P. 165976 - 165976

Published: Aug. 1, 2023

Coastal development and climate change are sparking growing concern about the vulnerability of organic carbon (OC) stocks in marine sediments to remineralization, especially high threaten coastal ecosystems like seagrass meadows. Uncertainties still exist regarding role played by hydrodynamics, canopies sediment properties OC resuspension remineralization. A set laboratory experiments were conducted assess, for first time, mechanisms which particulate dissolved (POC DOC) may be released remineralized under hydrodynamic conditions (i.e., unidirectional oscillatory flows) two eelgrass densities grain size content). After a gradually increase forces, our results demonstrated that presence reduced erosion loss high-density canopies, while low-density promote (on average, 1.8-fold higher than canopies). We also flows similar DOC from surface 15.5 ± 1.4 18.4 1.8 g m-2, respectively), whereas flow significantly more POC (from 10.8 1.1 32.1 5.6 m-2 flows, respectively). was strongly influenced both meadow structure lower density shoot area) mud water found that, although >74 % upper within 30 days, relatively amount is recalcitrant, highlighting its potential formation blue deposits. This study highlights deposits if degraded and/or yield stronger storms, could potentially weaken meadows' service as ecosystem future.

Language: Английский

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Novel approach to large‐scale monitoring of submerged aquatic vegetation: A nationwide example from Sweden

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 18(4), P. 909 - 920

Published: July 16, 2021

According to the EU Habitats directive, Water Framework Directive, and Marine Strategy member states are required map, monitor, evaluate changes in quality areal distribution of different marine habitats biotopes protect environment more effectively. Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) is a key indicator ecological status coastal ecosystems therefore widely used reporting related these directives. Environmental monitoring SAV lacking Sweden due challenges large-scale using traditional small-scale methods. To address this gap, 2020, we embarked on project combine Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, novel machine learning (ML) techniques, advanced data processing cloud-based web application that enables users create up-to-date classifications. At same time, approach was derive first high-resolution map for entire coastline Sweden, where an area 1550 km2 mapped as SAV. Quantitative evaluation accuracy classification independent field from three regions along Swedish coast demonstrated relative high within shallower areas, particularly water transparency (average total per region 0.60-0.77). However, missed large proportions growing deeper (on average 31%-50%) performed poorly areas with fragmented or mixed poor quality, should be addressed development mapping methods towards integration into frameworks such In article, present results satellite-derived show implementation (prototype) developed frame project. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:909-920. © 2021 The Authors. Integrated Assessment Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC behalf Society Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Language: Английский

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The natural capital of seagrass beds in the Caribbean: evaluating their ecosystem services and blue carbon trade potential

Biology Letters, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 19(6)

Published: June 1, 2023

Seagrass beds provide tremendous services to society, including the storage of carbon, with important implications for climate change mitigation. Prioritizing conservation this valuable natural capital is global significance, and seagrass in carbon markets through projects that minimize loss, increase area or restore degraded areas represents a mechanism towards end. Using newly available Caribbean distribution data, we estimated region calculated economic valuations total ecosystem storage. We 88 170 km 2 stores 1337.8 (360.5–2335.0, minimum maximum estimates, respectively) Tg carbon. The value these ecosystems terms alone was be $255 billion yr −1 $88.3 billion, respectively, highlighting their potential monetary importance region. Our results show are globally substantial pools our findings underscore such evaluation schemes promote urgently needed highly threatened ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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First assessment of seagrass carbon accumulation rates in Sweden: A field study from a fjord system at the Skagerrak coast

PLOS Climate, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 2(1), P. e0000099 - e0000099

Published: Jan. 5, 2023

Seagrass meadows are globally important blue carbon sinks. In northern cold-temperate regions, eelgrass ( Zostera marina ) is the dominant seagrass species, and although their sedimentary stocks have been quantified across information regarding CO 2 withdrawal capacity as sinks remains scarce. Here we assessed (C org accumulation rates (CARs) well organic matter sources in five Gullmar Fjord area on Swedish Skagerrak coast. We found that mean (±SD) CAR was 14 ± 3 g C m -2 yr -1 over last ~120–140 years (corresponding to a yearly uptake of 52.4 12.6 CO2 ). The sink line with other Z . areas but relatively low compared species regions globally. About half (7.1 3.3 originated from macroalgae biomass, which highlights importance non-seagrass derived material for function area. were similar among sites when comparing at standardized depth 50 cm (4.6–5.9 kg ), showed large variation total extent cores (ranging 0.7 20.6 sediment depths 11 least 149 cm). accretion (1.18–1.86 mm thick deposits (with maximum >150 depth) suggests likely accumulated an extended period time, documented loss region associated erosion could potentially offset centuries sequestration.

Language: Английский

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A 2,000‐Year Record of Eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) Colonization Shows Substantial Gains in Blue Carbon Storage and Nutrient Retention

Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 38(3)

Published: March 1, 2024

Abstract Assessing historical environmental conditions linked to habitat colonization is important for understanding long‐term resilience and improving conservation restoration efforts. Such information lacking the seagrass Zostera marina , an foundation species across cold‐temperate coastal areas of Northern Hemisphere. Here, we reconstructed during last 14,000 years from sediment cores in two eelgrass ( Z. ) meadows along Swedish west coast, with main aims identify time frame describe subsequent biogeochemical changes following establishment. Based on vegetation proxies (lipid biomarkers), occurred about 2,000 ago after geomorphological that resulted a shallow, sheltered environment favoring growth. Seagrass establishment led up 20‐ 24‐fold increases sedimentary carbon nitrogen accumulation rates, respectively. This demonstrates capacity seagrasses as efficient ecosystem engineers their role global change mitigation adaptation through CO 2 removal, nutrient retention. By combining regional climate projections landscape models, assessed potential effects growth, productivity distribution until 2100. These predictions showed are mostly at risk increased sedimentation hydrodynamic changes, while impact sea level rise alone might be less importance studied area. study showcases positive feedback between conditions, which holds promise successful efforts aimed supporting adaptation, provision several other crucial services.

Language: Английский

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