Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Landscape Ecology
Publisher
Springer
School
School of Science / Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research
RAS ID
36856
Funders
Australian Research Council
Funding details : https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10980-021-01216-8
Grant Number
ARC Number : 170100219
Abstract
Context: Seagrass meadows act as efficient natural carbon sinks by sequestering atmospheric CO and through trapping of allochthonous organic material, thereby preserving organic carbon (C ) in their sediments. Less understood is the influence of landscape configuration and transformation (land-use change) on carbon sequestration dynamics in coastal seascapes across the land–sea interface. Objectives: We explored the influence of landscape configuration and degradation of adjacent mangroves on the dynamics and fate of C in seagrass habitats. Methods: Through predictive modelling, we assessed sedimentary C content, stocks and source composition in multiple seascapes (km-wide buffer zones) dominated by different seagrass communities in northwest Madagascar. The study area encompassed seagrass meadows adjacent to intact and deforested mangroves. Results: The sedimentary C content was influenced by a combination of landscape metrics and inherent habitat plant- and sediment-properties. We found a strong land-to-sea gradient, likely driven by hydrodynamic forces, generating distinct patterns in sedimentary C levels in seagrass seascapes. There was higher C content and a mangrove signal in seagrass surface sediments closer to the deforested mangrove area, possibly due to an escalated export of C from deforested mangrove soils. Seascapes comprising large continuous seagrass meadows had higher sedimentary C levels in comparison to more diverse and patchy seascapes. Conclusion: Our results emphasize the benefit to consider the influence of seascape configuration and connectivity to accurately assess C content in coastal habitats. Understanding spatial patterns of variability and what is driving the observed patterns is useful for identifying carbon sink hotspots and develop management prioritizations. 2 org org org org org org org org org
DOI
10.1007/s10980-021-01216-8
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Asplund, M. E., Dahl, M., Ismail, R. O., Arias-Ortiz, A., Deyanova, D., Franco, J. N., ... Gullström, M. (2021). Dynamics and fate of blue carbon in a mangrove–seagrass seascape: Influence of landscape configuration and land-use change. Landscape Ecology, 36(5), 1489-1509. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01216-8