Total alkalinity production in a mangrove ecosystem reveals an overlooked Blue Carbon component

Saderne, Vincent; Fusi, Marco; Thomson, Timothy; Dunne, Aislinn; Mahmud, Fatima; Roth, Florian; Carvalho, Susana; Duarte, Carlos M.

doi:10.1002/lol2.10170

Cited by 37 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 32 publications

(57 reference statements)

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“…To the best of our knowledge, high alkalinity (≥ 10 mM HCO 3− ) can inhibit growth of some plants (Cartmill et al 2008); the alkalinity in this marsh was around 6.2 (± 2.4 mM HCO 3− ) and did not seem to affect the growth of grasses and sedges. High alkalinity in wetlands has been identi ed as a sink of atmospheric CO 2 (Saderne et al 2021) accounting for an overlooked component of the C cycle and storage in wetlands.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical and Biogeochemical Characterization of a Tropical Karstic Marsh in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

Cejudo

Ortega-Camacho

García-Vargas

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Karstic wetlands provide important ecosystem services such as maintenance of hydrological balance, flood regulation, drinking water supply and nutrients cycling. It is important to conserve and maintain karstic wetlands due to its interaction with groundwater systems and its socioeconomic relevance. The objective of this research was to generate base-line knowledge of the microtopography, hydroperiod and biogeochemical characteristics of poorly known tropical karstic marshes by testing two hypotheses, the phreatotrophic nature of tropical karstic marshes, and the alteration of its biogeochemistry by a highway dividing the marsh. The study site is located in the north of the state of Quintana Roo (Mexico), in pseudo-paludal depressions associated to fractures. The water level varied from few centimeters below the ground to more than 100 cm. We demonstrate that the wetland is groundwater-fed with differences among groundwater, interstitial and surface water in almost all parameters measured. The water is calcium bicarbonate type; the main processes occurring are recharge, evaporation and rock dissolution. Our results suggests active denitrification, low phosphates attributed to Ca- and Fe/Al-bound P, elevated alkalinity and sulfate reduction due to anaerobic conditions in water and soil. The soil reflect its sedimentary origin, the bulk density is low with very high water retention capacity. We do not have enough evidence of the highway modifying the biogeochemistry or hydrology of the marsh. These karstic wetlands provide important provisioning and supporting ecosystem services that should be studied, acknowledged and maintained.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical and Biogeochemical Characterization of a Tropical Karstic Marsh in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

Cejudo

Ortega-Camacho

García-Vargas

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…Sun and Carson (2020) quantified the value of storm protection from Gulf of Mexico wetlands at an average of $1.8 million dollars per year per km 2 (carbon sequestration services were not a part of this valuation). Recent discoveries in Red Sea mangrove forests suggest an underestimation of carbon sequestering potential due to the unaccounted-for positive impact of ocean acidification on the ocean's capacity to dissolve CO 2 (Saderne et al, 2020), a process likely applicable for a number of key areas around the globe.…”

Section: Coastal Carbonmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Blue Carbon in Climate Change Mitigation and Carbon Stock Conservation

et al. 2021

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The potential for Blue Carbon ecosystems to combat climate change and provide co-benefits was discussed in the recent and influential Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate. In terms of Blue Carbon, the report mainly focused on coastal wetlands and did not address the socio-economic considerations of using natural ocean systems to reduce the risks of climate disruption. In this paper, we discuss Blue Carbon resources in coastal, open-ocean and deep-sea ecosystems and highlight the benefits of measures such as restoration and creation as well as conservation and protection in helping to unleash their potential for mitigating climate change risks. We also highlight the challenges—such as valuation and governance—to marshaling their mitigation role and discuss the need for policy action for natural capital market development, and for global coordination. Efforts to identify and resolve these challenges could both maintain and harness the potential for these natural ocean systems to store carbon and help fight climate change. Conserving, protecting, and restoring Blue Carbon ecosystems should become an integral part of mitigation and carbon stock conservation plans at the local, national and global levels.

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“…Seagrasses play a more limited role in carbon sequestration in the Red Sea but the central part hosts the largest diversity of seagrass species, that is, 10–12 species out of 60 species recorded worldwide (El Shaffai et al, 2011 ). Noteworthy, the rates of dissolution of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) in the mangroves of the Red Sea could represent another effective mechanism to sink atmospheric CO 2 , up to 20 times more than their carbon burial rates (Saderne et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Climate‐tailored Approaches To Better Protect the Red Seamentioning

confidence: 99%

A portfolio of climate‐tailored approaches to advance the design of marine protected areas in the Red Sea

Gajdzik

DeCarlo

Aylagas

et al. 2021

Global Change Biology

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Intensified coastal development is compromising the health and functioning of marine ecosystems. A key example of this is the Red Sea, a biodiversity hotspot subjected to increasing local human pressures. While some marine‐protected areas (MPAs) were placed to alleviate these stressors, it is unclear whether these MPAs are managed or enforced, thus providing limited protection. Yet, most importantly, MPAs in the Red Sea were not designed using climate considerations, likely diminishing their effectiveness against global stressors. Here, we propose to tailor the design of MPAs in the Red Sea by integrating approaches to enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation. First, including coral bleaching susceptibility could produce a more resilient network of MPAs by safeguarding reefs from different thermal regions that vary in spatiotemporal bleaching responses, reducing the risk that all protected reefs will bleach simultaneously. Second, preserving the basin‐wide genetic connectivity patterns that are assisted by mesoscale eddies could further ensure recovery of sensitive populations and maintain species potential to adapt to environmental changes. Finally, protecting mangrove forests in the northern and southern Red Sea that act as major carbon sinks could help offset greenhouse gas emissions. If implemented with multinational cooperation and concerted effort among stakeholders, our portfolio of climate‐tailored approaches may help build a network of MPAs in the Red Sea that protects more effectively its coastal resources against escalating coastal development and climate instability. Beyond the Red Sea, we anticipate this study to serve as an example of how to improve the utility of tropical MPAs as climate‐informed conservation tools.

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Total alkalinity production in a mangrove ecosystem reveals an overlooked Blue Carbon component

Cited by 37 publications

References 32 publications

Physical and Biogeochemical Characterization of a Tropical Karstic Marsh in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

Physical and Biogeochemical Characterization of a Tropical Karstic Marsh in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

The Role of Blue Carbon in Climate Change Mitigation and Carbon Stock Conservation

A portfolio of climate‐tailored approaches to advance the design of marine protected areas in the Red Sea

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