Seagrass sediment organic carbon burial rates are globally significant.

Abstract

Crucial for coastal carbon sequestration, global seagrass organic carbon (OC) burial rates remain uncertain as early estimates were derived from mixed methodologies across geographically and taxonomically biased datasets. Here, we present a data-driven reassessment from a synthesis of 332 sediment cores spanning the last century. Results show that seagrasses bury OC at 25 ± 3 g OC m-2 yr-1 (geometric mean), with an area-weighted global average of 33 ± 9 g OC m-2 yr-1. Rates reflect a balance between sediment OC content and sediment accumulation, which share a negative exponential relationship driven by mineral dilution. Based on a revised mapped seagrass extent (247,700-366,400 km2), global burial scales to 6-15 Tg C yr-1. Although one-fourth of earlier benchmarks, seagrasses account for 3-4% to 3-6% of total oceanic OC burial despite covering <0.1% of the seafloor. Combined with mangroves and tidal marshes, vegetated coastal ecosystems contribute 8-13% of oceanic OC burial.

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