Antony Sibin, Perumal Karthikeyan, Devi Suvarna S, Shajahan Shahin, Kumar Appukuttannair Biju
Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, Karyavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 695581, Kerala, India.
Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, Karyavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 695581, Kerala, India.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2025 Oct;219:118269. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118269. Epub 2025 Jun 13.
Coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, seagrasses, and saltmarshes, are vital in mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide, known as "coastal blue carbon." This study reviews blue carbon stocks in India's ecosystems, revealing a collective carbon stock of 67.35 Tg C, predominantly from mangroves (67 Tg C), with seagrasses (0.0630 Tg C) and saltmarshes (0.0049 Tg C) contributing lesser amounts. Mangroves occupy around 491 km, seagrasses cover 591 km, and saltmarshes span 1398 km. The study highlights significant attention to mangroves and seagrass ecosystems but identifies gaps in research on blue carbon sequestration and carbon accumulation. Key regions like the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bitharkanika, Pichavaram, and the Sundarbans have been studied extensively, yet other areas remain under-researched. Remote sensing is widely used for mapping, and stable isotope (δC and δN) ratios is used for tracing carbon sources, wood web dynamics and assessing impact of pollution. Natural and human-induced pressures challenge carbon sequestration potential, with spatial variability driven by vegetation, salinity, and land use. The paper advocates for conservation, restoration, and monitoring as nature-based solutions to climate change, recommending the inclusion of blue carbon in policy frameworks to enhance climate resilience and sustainable development.
包括红树林、海草床和盐沼在内的沿海生态系统，通过封存二氧化碳（即“海岸蓝碳”）在缓解气候变化方面至关重要。本研究回顾了印度生态系统中的蓝碳储量，发现其碳储量总计67.35太克碳，主要来自红树林（67太克碳），海草床（0.0630太克碳）和盐沼（0.0049太克碳）的贡献较少。红树林占地约491千米，海草床覆盖面积为591千米，盐沼跨度为1398千米。该研究强调了对红树林和海草生态系统的高度关注，但也指出了蓝碳固存和碳积累研究方面的差距。安达曼和尼科巴群岛、比塔卡尼卡、皮查瓦拉姆和孙德尔本斯等关键地区已得到广泛研究，但其他地区仍研究不足。遥感技术广泛用于制图，稳定同位素（δC和δN）比率用于追踪碳源、木材网络动态以及评估污染影响。自然和人为压力对碳固存潜力构成挑战，空间变异性受植被、盐度和土地利用的驱动。本文倡导将保护、恢复和监测作为应对气候变化的基于自然的解决方案，建议将蓝碳纳入政策框架以增强气候适应力和可持续发展。
