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Factors influencing carbon stocks and accumulation rates in eelgrass meadows across New England, USA.
Citation:
Pelletier, Peg, A. Novak, P. Colarusso, J. Simpson, M. Gutierrez, A. Arias-Ortiz, Mike Charpentier, P. Masque, AND P. Vella. Factors influencing carbon stocks and accumulation rates in eelgrass meadows across New England, USA. Joint Estuarine and Coastal Sciences Association - Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas Conference 2021, NA, Virtual, UK, September 06 - 09, 2021.
Impact/Purpose:
Seagrasses are valued habitats which are generally indicators of good water quality. Seagrasses are associated with diverse groups of animals and plants. They also alter water flow; reduce wave energy and increase particle settlement from the water. Because of this, seagrass meadows are known to collect carbon (an element found in plants and animals) in the sediments of their meadows (a process known as sequestration). The amount and rate of carbon sequestration varies, and there is limited information for the northwest Atlantic. In this study we assessed 11 seagrass meadows between Maine and Rhode Island to determine how much carbon is sequestered in meadow sediments and how quickly carbon is built up. Data from this study will be used to inform New England States and Eastern Canada Provinces as they implement their Regional Climate Change Action Plan.
Description:
Increasing the protection of coastal vegetated ecosystems has been suggested as one strategy to compensate for increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere as the capacity of these habitats to sequester and store carbon exceeds that of terrestrial habitats. Seagrasses are a group of foundation species that grow in shallow coastal and estuarine systems and have an exceptional ability to sequester and store large quantities of carbon in biomass and, particularly, in sediments. However, carbon stocks (Corg stocks) and carbon accumulation rates (Corg accumulation) in seagrass meadows are highly variable both spatially and temporally, making it difficult to extrapolate this strategy to areas where information is lacking. In this study, Corg stocks and Corg accumulation were determined at eleven eelgrass meadows across New England, representing a range of eutrophication and exposure conditions. In addition, the environmental factors and structural characteristics of meadows related to variation in Corg stocks were identified. We assessed stable isotopes of δ13C and δ15N as well as % C and % N in plant tissues and sediments, measured grain size and 210Pb of sediment cores, and assessed site exposure. Variability in Corg stocks in seagrass meadows stocks is well-predicted using commonly measured environmental variables such as grain size distribution. This study allows incorporation of data and insights for the northwest Atlantic, where few carbon sequestration studies have been conducted.
