
Sediment Properties as Important Predictors of Carbon Storage in Zostera marina Meadows: A Comparison of Four European Areas
Author(s) -
Martin Dahl,
Diana Deyanova,
Silvia Gütschow,
Maria E. Asplund,
Liberatus D. Lyimo,
Ventzislav Karamfilov,
Rui Santos,
Mats Björk,
Martin Gullström
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0167493
Subject(s) - seagrass , zostera marina , blue carbon , carbon sink , fjord , sediment , total organic carbon , environmental science , sink (geography) , oceanography , potamogetonaceae , ecosystem , ecology , geology , geography , biology , cartography , paleontology
Seagrass ecosystems are important natural carbon sinks but their efficiency varies greatly depending on species composition and environmental conditions. What causes this variation is not fully known and could have important implications for management and protection of the seagrass habitat to continue to act as a natural carbon sink. Here, we assessed sedimentary organic carbon in Zostera marina meadows (and adjacent unvegetated sediment) in four distinct areas of Europe (Gullmar Fjord on the Swedish Skagerrak coast, Askö in the Baltic Sea, Sozopol in the Black Sea and Ria Formosa in southern Portugal) down to ~35 cm depth. We also tested how sedimentary organic carbon in Z . marina meadows relates to different sediment characteristics, a range of seagrass-associated variables and water depth. The seagrass carbon storage varied greatly among areas, with an average organic carbon content ranging from 2.79 ± 0.50% in the Gullmar Fjord to 0.17 ± 0.02% in the area of Sozopol. We found that a high proportion of fine grain size, high porosity and low density of the sediment is strongly related to high carbon content in Z . marina sediment. We suggest that sediment properties should be included as an important factor when evaluating high priority areas in management of Z . marina generated carbon sinks.