Conference Paper/Proceeding/Abstract 417 views
Sedimentation and carbon accumulation rates in UK saltmarshes
Ed Garrett ,
Craig Smeaton ,
W. Roland Gehrels ,
Natasha Barlow,
Will Blake,
Martha B. Koot ,
Lucy Miller,
Glenn Havelock,
Lucy McMahon,
Cai Ladd ,
William Austin
EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 24–28 Apr 2023
Swansea University Author: Cai Ladd
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DOI (Published version): 10.5194/egusphere-egu23-12459
Abstract
Saltmarshes play a key role in sequestering and storing carbon, as well as providing a wide range of other ecosystem services. Assessments of both total carbon stocks and rates of carbon accumulation are vital for quantifying saltmarsh contributions to climate-change mitigation and for guiding effor...
Published in: | EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 24–28 Apr 2023 |
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Published: |
Copernicus GmbH
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Online Access: |
http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-12459 |
URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64473 |
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Abstract: |
Saltmarshes play a key role in sequestering and storing carbon, as well as providing a wide range of other ecosystem services. Assessments of both total carbon stocks and rates of carbon accumulation are vital for quantifying saltmarsh contributions to climate-change mitigation and for guiding efforts to protect and restore coastal wetlands. Current assessments of the rates at which UK saltmarshes accumulate carbon are based on a small and spatially limited dataset. To address this knowledge gap, we estimate sedimentation rates and assess organic carbon density from 22 saltmarshes distributed around the UK. Bayesian modelling quantifies the relationship between depth and age from 210Pb and 137Cs activity data. We combine these sedimentation rates with centimetre-resolution organic carbon density measurements to quantify carbon accumulation rates through time. By upscaling these estimates to the total UK saltmarsh area and fully quantifying uncertainties, we conclude that UK saltmarsh carbon burial rates are lower than previously thought. |
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Keywords: |
Saltmarshes, sedimentation, carbon accumulation, sequestration |
College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |