Australian Vegetated Coastal Ecosystems as Global Hotspots for Climate Change Mitigation

Authors

• Oscar Serrano, Edith Cowan University
• Catherine E. Lovelock, University of Queensland
• Trisha B. Atwood, Utah State UniversityFollow
• Peter I. Macreadie, Deakin University
• Robert Canto, University of Queensland
• Stuart Phinn, University of Queensland
• Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
• Le Bai, Charles Darwin University
• Jeff Baldock, CSIRO Agriculture and Food
• Camila Bedulli, The University of Western Australia
• Paul Carnell, Deakin University
• Rod M. Connolly, Griffith University
• Paul Donaldson, BMT Environment
• Alba Esteban, Edith Cowan University
• Carolyn J. Ewers Lewis, Deakin University
• Bradley D. Eyre, Southern Cross University
• Matthew A. Hayes, Griffith University
• Pierre Horwitz, Edith Cowan University
• Lindsay B. Hutley, Charles Darwin University
• Christopher R. J. Kavazos, University of New South Wales
• Jeffrey J. Kelleway, University of Wollongong
• Gary A. Kendrick, The University of Western Australia
• Kieryn Kilminster, The University of Western Australia
• Anna Lafratta, Edith Cowan University
• Shing Lee, Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Paul S. Lavery, Edith Cowan University
• Damien T. Maher, Southern Cross University
• Núria Marbà, Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats
• Pere Masque, The University of Western Australia
• Miguel A. Mateo, Edith Cowan University
• Richard Mount, University of Tasmania
• Peter J. Ralph, University of Technology Sydney
• Chris Roelfsema, University of Queensland
• Mohammad Rozaimi, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
• Radhiyah Ruhon, The University of Western Australia
• Cristian Salinas, Edith Cowan University
• Jimena Samper-Villarreal, University of Queensland
• Jonathan Sanderman, CSIRO Agriculture and Food
• Christian J. Sanders, Southern Cross University
• Isaac Santos, Southern Cross University
• Chris Sharples, University of Tasmania
• Andrew D. L. Steven, Queensland Biosciences Precinct
• Toni Cannard, Queensland Biosciences Precinct
• Stacey M. Trevathan-Tackett, Deakin University
• Carlos M. Duarte, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Nature Communications

Volume

10

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Publication Date

10-2-2019

First Page

1

Last Page

10

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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.

Recommended Citation

Oscar, Serrano, et al. "Australian Vegetated Coastal Ecosystems as Global Hotspots for Climate Change Mitigation." Nature Communications, vol. 10, 2019, pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12176-8