MEPS 616:211-218 (2019)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12955

ABSTRACT: Blue carbon refers to the carbon accumulation capacity of vegetated coastal habitats, including salt marshes, mangroves forests and seagrass meadows. Here we present estimates of organic carbon (C_org) and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) burial rates from 4 seagrass species (Halophila ovalis, Posidonia australis, Ruppia megacarpa, Zostera muelleri) in 3 temperate estuaries on the east coast of Australia. The C_org burial rates (mean ± SE) varied by an order of magnitude across the seagrass communities (16 ± 3 to 130 ± 40 g m^-2 yr^-1). The δ¹³C_org and C_org:N ratios suggest that the seagrass communities buried variable mixtures of seagrass, algal and mangrove/terrestrial material. CaCO₃ burial rates ranged from 15 ± 11 to 188 ± 122 g m^-2 yr^-1, which, if precipitated by calcifying organisms in these or nearby habitats, may offset up to 89% of the C_org burial across the 8 seagrass communities. Our results highlight a large range in both C_org and CaCO₃ burial rates, and the provenance of the carbon sequestered in seagrasses, factors that need to be considered when assessing the role of seagrasses in blue carbon and climate change mitigation strategies.

KEY WORDS: Seagrass · Carbon content · Accumulation · Sedimentation · Blue carbon