Title: Carbon Sequestration in Australian Estuarine Wetlands
Abstract: Estuarine wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world. Only recently has the contribution of these wetlands to the global carbon budget been acknowledged. Wetlands in general are known to be important carbon sinks but their positive contribution to reducing the greenhouse effect is believed to be balanced by methane emission. Estuarine wetlands are particularly good at storing soil carbon with minimal release of greenhouse gases. Carbon sequestration in these environments is strongly linked to sediment accumulation rates. Research at a wetland in the Hunter estuary, NSW, has tracked sediment accumulation and soil carbon over a two year period (2005- 2007). Total soil carbon levels were in the 1.5-5.8% range with a general increase across the substrates sampled where tidal pools < mangrove < salt-marsh pannes < salt-marsh, although the difference was significant only at the end points of this continuum. Carbon sequestration rates ranged from 1.18 Mg C.ha-1.y-1 for tidal pools to 2.02 Mg C.ha-1.y-1for saltmarsh. The carbon sequestration and storage capacity of estuarine wetlands in the Hunter is substantial, but in decline due to the loss of estuarine vegetation particularly over the last fifty years. Further research is required to quantify sediment accretion and carbon sequestration rates in unvegetated estuarine substrates, and the depth distribution of carbon in both vegetated and unvegetated substrates.
Publication Year: 2008
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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