Mangrove forests in Wakatobi National Park in Indonesia. Credits: Dr. Ian Hendy, University of Portsmouth
Mangroves play a vital role in the health of our planet. Trees and shrubs absorb a substantial amount of greenhouse gas emissions, help protect communities from rising sea levels, and act as nurseries for fish.
These coastal forests are the second richest carbon ecosystem in the world, being able to store more than 1,000 tons of carbon in just one hectare; it’s the size of a football field. They do this by capturing the chemical element from the air and storing it in leaves, branches, trunks and roots.
But despite environmental efforts to prevent the loss of these important ecosystems, they are still at risk. A new study, from the University of Portsmouth and facilitated by the research organization Operation Wallacea, has revealed how organisms process stored carbon from atmospheric CO2 into large woody debris. The findings suggest that climate change may significantly affect this “blue carbon” system.
Scientists at the University of Portsmouth analyzed large woody debris (LWD) in four mangrove forests in Wakatobi National Park in Indonesia with different intertidal areas. Each survey area had up to 8 sections (transects), each revealing its own way of processing carbon.
In the upper reaches of the ecosystem, closer to the earth, the team discovered that organisms normally found in rainforests are breaking down fallen wood. These include fungi, beetle larvae and termites. Further into the ocean, LWD is being degraded more rapidly by worm-like clams with calcium carbonate shells, known as shipworms.
Two consequences of climate change can affect the delicate process of fixed carbon degradation in the mangrove forest. The first is sea level rise, as the carbon cycle is driven by rising tides. The second is an increase in the acidity of the ocean caused by the increase in CO2 in the atmosphere, which can dissolve the shells of marine organisms by degrading the wood in the lower stretches.
The study’s lead author, Dr Ian Hendy of the University of Portsmouth’s School of Biological Sciences, said: ” “Mangrove forests are crucial to mitigating climate change and alterations. Breaking down fallen wood in forests will change the carbon cycles on the ground that can have an effect on mangrove carbon reserves.”
Dr. Hendy and her team now have their sights set on participating in large-scale mangrove forest restoration in Mexico. The joint biodiversity initiative rePLANET works exclusively with a group of scientists from Portsmouth, Brighton, Singapore and CINESTAV to fund a number of doctorates. projects that examine the innovative approaches that are being taken to preserve and protect forests.
“The team’s goal now is to use the results of this study to guide large-scale restoration of mangrove forests around the world,” added study co-author Dr. Simon Cragg of the University. of Portsmouth.
The study “Biodegraders of Large Woody Debris Across a Tidal Gradient in an Indonesian Manglave Ecosystem” is published in Forest borders and global change.
Remote Sensing Helps Track Mangrove Carbon Storage More Information: Ian W. Hendy et al, Biodegraders of Large Woody Debris Across in Tidal Gradient in an Indonesian Manglave Ecosystem, Forest borders and global change (2022). DOI: 10.3389 / ffgc.2022.852217 Provided by the University of Portsmouth
Citation: A study reveals how climate change could significantly affect one of the world’s most important carbon-rich ecosystems (2022, June 23) recovered on June 23, 2022
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair treatment for private study or research purposes, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. Content is provided for informational purposes only.