Carbon storage in seagrass ecosystems along the Andaman coast of Thailand
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Author list: Stankovic M., Tantipisanuh N., Prathep A.
Publisher: De Gruyter
Publication year: 2018
Volume number: 61
Issue number: 5
Start page: 429
End page: 440
Number of pages: 12
ISSN: 0006-8055
eISSN: 0006-8055
Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)
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Abstract
Seagrass ecosystems are important contributors to mitigation of climate change, since they are responsible for large carbon sinks. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the importance of variability of carbon storage in various ecosystems. In this study, we estimated carbon storage in several structurally different seagrass meadows along the west coast of Thailand and determined whether degree of exposure, human disturbance, and meadow type influenced carbon storage within these meadows. Carbon content within the living vegetation was on average 3ฑ2.7 Mg ha-1, whilst average storage of carbon in the sediment was 122ฑ35.3 Mg ha-1. Meadow type and disturbance had a significant influence on total carbon storage in the ecosystem, while the degree of exposure of the bay did not show great differences. Uniform meadows had a higher average total carbon storage than mixed meadows (133ฑ36.2 and 110ฑ41.3 Mg ha-1, respectively). Undisturbed meadows had a higher average total carbon storage than disturbed ones (140ฑ36.5 and 103ฑ34.8 Mg ha-1, respectively). The results obtained contribute to our understanding of carbon storage on an ecosystem scale and can provide a baseline for proper management, conservation, and climate change studies in the region. ฉ 2018 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.
Keywords
Blue carbon, carbon sink, marine vegetation
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