Australian vegetated coastal ecosystems as global hotspots for climate change mitigation

Authors

Oscar Serrano, University of Western Australia, Edith Cowan University
Catherine E. Lovelock, Utah State University, University of QueenslandFollow
Trisha B. Atwood, Utah State University, University of Queensland
Peter I. Macreadie, Deakin University
Robert Canto, University of Queensland
Stuart R. Phinn, University of QueenslandFollow
Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
Le Bai, Charles Darwin University
Jeffrey A. Baldock, Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation
Camila Bedulli, Universidade Estadual Paulista, University of Western Australia
Paul E. Carnell, Deakin University
Rod M. Connolly, Griffith University
Paul Donaldson, University of Tasmania (UTAS), BTM WBM
Alba Esteban, Edith Cowan University
Carolyn Ewers, Deakin University
Bradley Eyre, Southern Cross University
Matthew Hayes, University of Queensland, Griffith University
Pierre Horwitz, Edith Cowan University
Lindsay B. Hutley, Charles Darwin University
Christopher Kavazos, University of New South Wales, Edith Cowan University, University of WollongongFollow
Jeffrey Kelleway, University of WollongongFollow
Gary A. Kendrick, University of Western AustraliaFollow
Kieryn Kilminster, University of Western Australia
Anna Lafratta, Edith Cowan University
Shing Lee, Griffith University
Paul S. Lavery, Edith Cowan University, Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes-CSIC
Damien T. Maher, Southern Cross University
Nuria Marba, Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avancats
Pere Masque, Edith Cowan University
Miguel Mateo, Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes-CSIC, Edith Cowan University
Richard Mount, University of Tasmania
Peter J. Ralph, University of Technology Sydney
Chris M. Roelfsema, University of Queensland
Mohammad Rozaimi, Edith Cowan University, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Radhiyah Ruhon, Hasanuddin University, University of Western Australia
Cristian Salinas, Edith Cowan University
Jimena Samper-Villarreal, Universidad De Costa Rica, University of Queensland
J Sanderman, Woods Hole Research Center, CSIRO Agriculture and Food
Christian J. Sanders, Southern Cross University
Isaac Santos, Southern Cross University
Chris Sharples, BMT WBM, University of Tasmania
Andrew D. L Steven, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship
Toni Cannard, University of WollongongFollow
Stacey M. Trevathan-Tackett, Deakin University, University of Technology Sydney
Carlos M. Duarte, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

RIS ID

139337

Publication Details

Serrano, O., Lovelock, C. E., Atwood, T. B., Macreadie, P. I., Canto, R., Phinn, S., Arias-Ortiz, A., Bai, L., Baldock, J., Bedulli, C., Carnell, P., Connolly, R. M., Donaldson, P., Esteban, A., Ewers Lewis, C. J., Eyre, B. D., Hayes, M. A., Horwitz, P., Hutley, L. B., Kavazos, C. R.J., Kelleway, J. J., Kendrick, G. A., Kilminster, K., Lafratta, A., Lee, S., Lavery, P. S., Maher, D. T., Marba, N., Masque, P., Mateo, M. A., Mount, R., Ralph, P. J., Roelfsema, C., Rozaimi, M., Ruhon, R., Salinas, C., Samper-Villarreal, J., Sanderman, J., Sanders, C. J., Santos, I., Sharples, C., Steven, A. D.L., Cannard, T., Trevathan-Tackett, S. M. & Duarte, C. M. (2019). Australian vegetated coastal ecosystems as global hotspots for climate change mitigation. Nature Communications, 10 (1), 4313-1-4313-10.

Abstract

Policies aiming to preserve vegetated coastal ecosystems (VCE; tidal marshes, mangroves and seagrasses) to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions require national assessments of blue carbon resources. Here, we present organic carbon (C) storage in VCE across Australian climate regions and estimate potential annual CO2 emission benefits of VCE conservation and restoration. Australia contributes 5-11% of the C stored in VCE globally (70-185 Tg C in aboveground biomass, and 1,055-1,540 Tg C in the upper 1 m of soils). Potential CO2 emissions from current VCE losses are estimated at 2.1-3.1 Tg CO2-e yr-1, increasing annual CO2 emissions from land use change in Australia by 12-21%. This assessment, the most comprehensive for any nation to-date, demonstrates the potential of conservation and restoration of VCE to underpin national policy development for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.