Skip to main content
bioRxiv
  • Home
  • About
  • Submit
  • ALERTS / RSS
Advanced Search
New Results

Rapid carbon accumulation at a saltmarsh restored by managed realignment far exceeds carbon emitted in site construction

View ORCID ProfileHannah L. Mossman, Nigel Pontee, Katie Born, View ORCID ProfilePeter J. Lawrence, Stuart Rae, James Scott, Beatriz Serato, Robert B. Sparkes, View ORCID ProfileMartin J.P. Sullivan, View ORCID ProfileRachel M. Dunk
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.10.12.464124
Hannah L. Mossman
1Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Hannah L. Mossman
  • For correspondence: h.mossman@mmu.ac.uk
Nigel Pontee
2Jacobs, 1 The West Wing, 1 Glass Wharf, Bristol, BS2 0EL, UK
3University of Southampton, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Katie Born
4Jacobs, 160 Dundee Street, Edinburgh EH11 1DQ, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Peter J. Lawrence
1Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
5School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge LL59 5AB, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Peter J. Lawrence
Stuart Rae
1Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
James Scott
6Jacobs, 1st Floor office, Aperture, Pynes Hill, Rydon Lane, Exeter, EX2 5AZ, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Beatriz Serato
2Jacobs, 1 The West Wing, 1 Glass Wharf, Bristol, BS2 0EL, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Robert B. Sparkes
1Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Martin J.P. Sullivan
1Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Martin J.P. Sullivan
Rachel M. Dunk
1Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Rachel M. Dunk
  • Abstract
  • Full Text
  • Info/History
  • Metrics
  • Preview PDF
Loading

Abstract

Increasing attention is being paid to the carbon sequestration and storage services provided by coastal blue carbon ecosystems such as saltmarshes. Sites restored by managed realignment, where existing sea walls are breached to reinstate tidal inundation to the land behind, have considerable potential to accumulate carbon through deposition of sediment brought in by the tide and burial of vegetation in the site. While this potential has been recognised, it is not yet a common motivating factor for saltmarsh restoration, partly due to uncertainties about the rate of carbon accumulation and how this balances against the greenhouse gases emitted during site construction. We use a combination of field measurements over four years and remote sensing to quantify carbon accumulation at a large managed realignment site, Steart Marshes, UK. Sediment accumulated rapidly at Steart Marshes (mean of 75 mm yr-1) and had a high carbon content (4.4% total carbon, 2.2% total organic carbon), resulting in carbon accumulation of 36.6 t ha-1 yr-1 total carbon (19.4 t ha- 1 yr-1 total organic carbon). This rate of carbon accumulation is an order of magnitude higher than reported in many other restored saltmarshes, and is higher although more similar to values previously reported from another hypertidal system (Bay of Fundy, Canada). The estimated carbon emissions associated with the construction of the site were ∼2-4% of the observed carbon accumulation during the study period, supporting the view that managed realignment projects in such settings are likely to have significant carbon accumulation benefits. We outline further considerations that are needed to move towards a full carbon budget for saltmarsh restoration.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.
Back to top
PreviousNext
Posted October 12, 2021.
Download PDF
Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv.

NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Rapid carbon accumulation at a saltmarsh restored by managed realignment far exceeds carbon emitted in site construction
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Share
Rapid carbon accumulation at a saltmarsh restored by managed realignment far exceeds carbon emitted in site construction
Hannah L. Mossman, Nigel Pontee, Katie Born, Peter J. Lawrence, Stuart Rae, James Scott, Beatriz Serato, Robert B. Sparkes, Martin J.P. Sullivan, Rachel M. Dunk
bioRxiv 2021.10.12.464124; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.10.12.464124
Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo LinkedIn logo Mendeley logo
Citation Tools
Rapid carbon accumulation at a saltmarsh restored by managed realignment far exceeds carbon emitted in site construction
Hannah L. Mossman, Nigel Pontee, Katie Born, Peter J. Lawrence, Stuart Rae, James Scott, Beatriz Serato, Robert B. Sparkes, Martin J.P. Sullivan, Rachel M. Dunk
bioRxiv 2021.10.12.464124; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.10.12.464124

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Subject Area

  • Ecology
Subject Areas
All Articles
  • Animal Behavior and Cognition (4230)
  • Biochemistry (9123)
  • Bioengineering (6766)
  • Bioinformatics (23969)
  • Biophysics (12109)
  • Cancer Biology (9510)
  • Cell Biology (13753)
  • Clinical Trials (138)
  • Developmental Biology (7623)
  • Ecology (11674)
  • Epidemiology (2066)
  • Evolutionary Biology (15492)
  • Genetics (10632)
  • Genomics (14310)
  • Immunology (9473)
  • Microbiology (22822)
  • Molecular Biology (9086)
  • Neuroscience (48920)
  • Paleontology (355)
  • Pathology (1480)
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology (2566)
  • Physiology (3841)
  • Plant Biology (8322)
  • Scientific Communication and Education (1468)
  • Synthetic Biology (2295)
  • Systems Biology (6180)
  • Zoology (1299)