Dataset Information

Blue Carbon stock in Zostera noltei meadows at Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon (Portugal) over a decade.

ABSTRACT: This work assessed the Blue Carbon (C) stock in the seagrass meadows (Zostera noltei) of Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon (Portugal), and evaluated its spatio-temporal trend over the 2003-2005 to 2013-2014 period. Zostera noltei spatial distribution, restricted to intertidal areas in 2014, was mapped by remote sensing using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and aerial photography. Zostera noltei biomass was also monitored in situ over a year and its Blue C stock was estimated. By 2014, intertidal meadows covered an area of 226 ± 4 ha and their Blue C stock ranged from 227 ± 6 to 453 ± 13 Mg C. Overall, Ria de Aveiro Z. noltei intertidal meadows increased in extent over the 2003-2005 to 2013-2014 period, corroborating the recent declining trend reversal observed in Europe and contrary to the global decline trend. This spatio-temporal shift might be related to a natural adjustment of the intertidal meadows to past human intervention in Ria de Aveiro, namely large-scale dredging activities, particularly in the 1996-1998 period, combined with the more accurate assessment performed in 2014 using the UAV. This recovery contributes to the effective increase of the Blue C stock in Ria de Aveiro and, ultimately, to supporting climate regulation and improving ecosystem health. However, major dredging activities are foreseen in the system's management plan, which can again endanger the recovery trend of Z. noltei intertidal meadows in Ria de Aveiro.

SUBMITTER: Sousa AI

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6779869 | biostudies-other | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Blue Carbon stock in Zostera noltei meadows at Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon (Portugal) over a decade.

Sousa Ana I AI da Silva José Figueiredo JF Azevedo Ana A Lillebø Ana I AI

Scientific reports 20191007 1

This work assessed the Blue Carbon (C) stock in the seagrass meadows (Zostera noltei) of Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon (Portugal), and evaluated its spatio-temporal trend over the 2003-2005 to 2013-2014 period. Zostera noltei spatial distribution, restricted to intertidal areas in 2014, was mapped by remote sensing using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and aerial photography. Zostera noltei biomass was also monitored in situ over a year and its Blue C stock was estimated. By 2014, intertidal mea ...[more]

PMID: 31591415

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Project description:Seagrass habitats provide important ecosystem services, including their ability to take up and store substantial amounts of organic carbon, known as 'blue carbon.' However, the paucity of geospatial and carbon storage information along the Pacific Coast of Canada hinders the inclusion of blue carbon storage data in conservation planning and policy development in coastal habitats. We assessed the carbon storage and accumulation rates in three eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows in southern Clayoquot Sound on the Pacific Coast of British Columbia. The intertidal and subtidal portions of each meadow were mapped and sampled to estimate eelgrass density, biomass, and carbon, and sediment cores were analyzed to estimate sediment carbon storage and accumulation rates. Aboveground biomass measurements were consistent with estimates for Z. marina in other regions, with average aboveground carbon biomass estimates of 16.78 g C m-2 and 16.25 g C m-2 in the intertidal and subtidal areas, respectively. However, the estimated aboveground to belowground biomass ratio was an order of magnitude higher than for seagrass species in temperate/tropical areas, largely because belowground biomass was up to 10 times lower than for other Z. marina meadows, averaging 6.17 g C m-2 and 5.03 g C m-2 in the intertidal and subtidal zones, respectively. Sediment carbon concentrations did not exceed 1.30%Corg, and carbon accumulation rates ranged from 2.90-39.61 g Corg m-2 yr-1, decreasing with depth and averaging 10.8 ± 5.2 g Corg m-2 yr-1. While sediment carbon stocks were generally higher in the eelgrass meadows relative to non-vegetated reference sites, carbons stocks averaged 1343 ± 482 g Corg m-2, substantially less than global averages. These carbon results confirm that eelgrass does contribute to carbon storage in Clayoquot Sound but at lower rates than identified for more tropical seagrasses. By improving the quantification of site-specific carbon dynamics, eelgrass' role in climate change mitigation and conservation planning can be assessed.

Project description:BackgroundSeagrass meadows provide valuable ecosystem services but are threatened by global change pressures, and there is growing concern that the functions seagrasses perform within an ecosystem will be reduced or lost without intervention. Restoration has become an integral part of coastal management in response to major seagrass declines, but is often context dependent, requiring an assessment of methods to maximise restoration success. Here we investigate the use of different restoration strategies for the endangered Zostera capensis in South Africa.MethodsWe assessed restoration feasibility by establishing seagrass transplant plots based on different transplant source materials (diameter (ø) 10 cm cores and anchored individual shoots), planting patterns (line, dense, bullseye) and planting site (upper, upper-mid and mid-intertidal zones). Monitoring of area cover, shoot length, and macrofaunal diversity was conducted over 18 months.ResultsMixed model analysis showed distinct effects of transplant material used, planting pattern and site on transplant survival and area cover. Significant declines in seagrass cover across all treatments was recorded post-transplantation (2 months), followed by a period of recovery. Of the transplants that persisted after 18 months of monitoring (~58% plots survived across all treatments), seagrass area cover increased (~112%) and in some cases expanded by over >400% cover, depending on type of transplant material, planting arrangement and site. Higher bioturbator pressure from sandprawns (Kraussillichirus kraussi) significantly reduced transplant survival and area cover. Transplant plots were colonised by invertebrates, including seagrass specialists, such as South Africa's most endangered marine invertebrate, the false-eelgrass limpet (Siphonaria compressa). For future seagrass restoration projects, transplanting cores was deemed the best method, showing higher long-term persistence and cover, however this approach is also resource intensive with potentially negative impacts on donor meadows at larger scales. There is a clear need for further research to address Z. capensis restoration scalability and improve long-term transplant persistence.

Dataset Information

Blue Carbon stock in Zostera noltei meadows at Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon (Portugal) over a decade.

Publications

Blue Carbon stock in Zostera noltei meadows at Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon (Portugal) over a decade.

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