The future of Blue Carbon science

2019/09/05 by Peter I. Macreadie, Andrea Antón, John A. Raven +33 · 4 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies #Isotope Analysis in Ecology #Marine and coastal plant biology

paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/s41467-019-11693-w

openalex publication_date 2019/09/05 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

The term Blue Carbon (BC) was first coined a decade ago to describe the disproportionately large contribution of coastal vegetated ecosystems to global carbon sequestration. The role of BC in climate change mitigation and adaptation has now reached international prominence. To help prioritise future research, we assembled leading experts in the field to agree upon the top-ten pending questions in BC science. Understanding how climate change affects carbon accumulation in mature BC ecosystems and during their restoration was a high priority. Controversial questions included the role of carbonate and macroalgae in BC cycling, and the degree to which greenhouse gases are released following disturbance of BC ecosystems. Scientists seek improved precision of the extent of BC ecosystems; techniques to determine BC provenance; understanding of the factors that influence sequestration in BC ecosystems, with the corresponding value of BC; and the management actions that are effective in enhancing this value. Overall this overview provides a comprehensive road map for the coming decades on future research in BC science.

Citations

• Seagrass community metabolism: Assessing the carbon sink capacity of seagrass meadows
• Preservation of Organic Matter in Marine Sediments: Controls, Mechanisms, and an Imbalance in Sediment Organic Carbon Budgets?
• Sorption of organic matter to mineral surfaces and the preservation of organic matter in coastal marine sediments
• Accelerating loss of seagrasses across the globe threatens coastal ecosystems
• A Global Crisis for Seagrass Ecosystems
• The value of estuarine and coastal ecosystem services
• Status and distribution of mangrove forests of the world using earth observation satellite data
• Global coastal wetland change under sea-level rise and related stresses: The DIVA Wetland Change Model
• Mangrove Forests: One of the World's Threatened Major Tropical Environments
• Extinction risk assessment of the world’s seagrass species

Cited by

• Transforming the Future of Marine Aquaculture: A Circular Economy Approach
• Forensic carbon accounting: Assessing the role of seaweeds for carbon sequestration
• Potential negative effects of ocean afforestation on offshore ecosystems
• Blue carbon [wikipedia]