Abstract Detail

Climate Change Solutions from Plant Science: The Interaction at the Interface between Terrestrial Ecosystems and Coastal Ecosystems for Carbon Storage

poulos, Helen Mills [1], Ku, Tim C.W. [1], Thorhaug, Anitra [2], Lopez-Portillo, Jorge [3], Berlyn, Graeme P. [4].

The Riverine inflow effect on Seagrass: Examining oceanic and terrigenous carbon sedimentary carbon inputs in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.

Blue carbon in coastal marine systems constitutes a major global carbon sink, which was overlooked until very recently. While strides are being made in refining blue carbon accounting in a variety of sites, the mechanisms underscoring organic carbon accretion from terrestrial sources, and flux in relation to environmental and anthropogenic stressors remain poorly understood according to IPCC and REDD. This is especially pronounced in subtropical/tropical seagrass systems, where seagrasses are chiefly submerged in estuarine and in some continental shelf locations. This study identified organic matter sources across a suite of sites that range in environmental conditions and human impacts in the Gulf of Mexico including Mexico,Florida, Puerto Rico ,and Vieques. We analyzed C and N isotopes of seagrass blades, mangrove leaves, and suspended particulate matter from Florida, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Vieques to identify end-member sources of seagrass sedimentary carbon. We then integrated these data with a geographic information system of historical storm tracks, land use, and sediment plumes. The results of this study indicate that organic matter end-members were closely related to environmental conditions. Sites with large terrigenous inputs from rivers in Veracruz, Mexico, and Puerto Rico displayed significantly different isotopic signatures from the south Florida samples sites that had short clastic riverine inputs. The results from this study highlight the importance of terrestrial-estuarine-oceanic interactions for blue carbon origins and that sedimentary carbon input and cycling is site-specific and heavily dependent upon the surrounding environment. Cycling and Flux elements for seagrass will be compared include anthropogenic and environmental changes and degradation.

1 - Wesleyan University, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Middletown , CT , USA
2 - Yale University , School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 390 Prospect , new Haven , CT , 00561, USA
3 - Inecol -Xalapa, Ecological Sciences, Xalapa, Vera Cruz, Mexico
4 - Yale University, School Of Foresty & Evironmental Studies, GREELEY LAB-370 PROSPECT ST, NEW HAVEN, CT, 06511, USA

Keywords:
blue carbon
carbon flux
Gulf of MExico carbon
Carbon sequestration 
MExican mangrove carbon
Climate change sequestered carbon
seagrass carbon sequestration
Puerto Rico blue carbon
Vieques blue carbon
carbon isotope differentiation.

Presentation Type: Symposium Presentation
Session: SY10, Climate Change Solutions from Plant Science: The Interaction at the Interface between Terrestrial Ecosystems and Coastal Ecosystems for Carbon Storage
Location: Chatham Ballroom - B/Savannah International Trade and Convention Center
Date: Wednesday, August 3rd, 2016
Time: 8:30 AM
Number: SY10002
Abstract ID:368
Candidate for Awards:None