Carpenter Stephen, Stamoulis Kostantinos A, Mateos-Molina Daniel, Pittman Simon J, Antonopoulou Marina, Das Himansu S, Evans Claire
Emirates Nature - World Wide Fund for Nature, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Seascape Solutions, Mililani, HI, United States.
Sci Total Environ. 2024 Nov 15;951:175504. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175504. Epub 2024 Aug 13.
Coastal blue carbon ecosystems, typically comprising interconnected habitat mosaics, are globally important pathways of carbon sequestration and play a significant role in climate change regulation and mitigation. Current coastal management strategies often rely on simplified regional carbon stock estimates, that overlook the geographical variability and intricate ecological dynamics within these ecosystems. This study adopts a seascape ecology approach to evaluate the role of multiple seascape characteristics on carbon storage in two arid region coastal lagoons. We show that seascape location is the most influential driver of carbon stocks. Additionally, carbon isotopic variability, a proxy for connectivity, can be as influential as habitat type, particularly in the UAQ lagoon. This challenges the conventional reliance on data from individual habitat types (e.g., seagrass, mangrove, or tidal marsh) and highlights the context-dependency of carbon stocks. Moreover, the specific characteristics driving carbon stocks vary between seascapes: in Khor Faridah, connectivity to seagrass and mangrove habitats is crucial, while in the UAQ lagoon, sheltered and elevated areas are more influential. Our findings suggest that the interconnectivity between different habitat types, such as mangroves and saltmarshes, significantly enhances carbon storage. This is especially pronounced in large, sheltered mangrove habitat types within upper intertidal zones. Notably, small patches of mangroves, up to 10 ha, are associated with an approximate 10 % increase in carbon stocks. These results underscore the need for a more holistic, context-specific approach to designing nature-based solutions for coastal management and ecosystem restoration. By considering the specific characteristics and connectivity of seascape mosaics, we can more effectively enhance carbon stock potential in coastal ecosystems. This study contributes to a deeper spatially explicit understanding of the complex factors influencing carbon stocks in blue carbon ecosystems, highlighting the importance of tailored management strategies that reflect the unique ecological patterns of each seascape.
沿海蓝碳生态系统通常由相互连接的栖息地镶嵌体组成，是全球重要的碳固存途径，在气候变化调节和缓解中发挥着重要作用。当前的沿海管理策略往往依赖简化的区域碳储量估计，而忽略了这些生态系统内的地理变异性和复杂的生态动态。本研究采用景观生态学方法，评估多种景观特征对两个干旱地区沿海泻湖碳储存的作用。我们发现，景观位置是碳储量最具影响力的驱动因素。此外，碳同位素变异性（连通性的一个指标）的影响力可能与栖息地类型相当，特别是在乌姆盖万泻湖。这挑战了传统上对来自单个栖息地类型（如海藻床、红树林或潮汐沼泽）数据的依赖，并突出了碳储量的背景依赖性。此外，驱动碳储量的具体特征在不同景观之间有所不同：在法里达湾，与海藻床和红树林栖息地的连通性至关重要，而在乌姆盖万泻湖，受庇护和地势较高的区域更具影响力。我们的研究结果表明，不同栖息地类型（如红树林和盐沼）之间的相互连通性显著增强了碳储存。这在上潮间带大型受庇护的红树林栖息地类型中尤为明显。值得注意的是，面积达10公顷的小块红树林与碳储量增加约10%相关。这些结果强调了需要一种更全面、因地制宜的方法来设计基于自然的沿海管理和生态系统恢复解决方案。通过考虑景观镶嵌体的具体特征和连通性，我们可以更有效地提高沿海生态系统的碳储存潜力。本研究有助于在空间上更明确地深入理解影响蓝碳生态系统碳储量的复杂因素，突出了反映每个景观独特生态模式的定制管理策略的重要性。
