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dc.contributor.authorMorley, Simon A.
dc.contributor.authorSOUSTER, TERRI
dc.contributor.authorVause, Belinda J.
dc.contributor.authorGerrish, Laura
dc.contributor.authorPeck, Lloyd S.
dc.contributor.authorBarnes, David K. A.
dc.date.accessioned2022-09-01T10:52:22Z
dc.date.available2022-09-01T10:52:22Z
dc.date.issued2022-02-17
dc.description.abstractThe importance of cold-water blue carbon as biological carbon pumps that sequester carbon into ocean sediments is now being realised. Most polar blue carbon research to date has focussed on deep water, yet the highest productivity is in the shallows. This study measured the functional biodiversity and carbon standing stock accumulated by shallow-water (<25 m) benthic assemblages on both hard and soft substrata on the Antarctic Peninsula (WAP, 67° S). Soft substrata benthic assemblages (391 ± 499 t C km<sup>−2</sup>) contained 60% less carbon than hard substrata benthic assemblages (648 ± 909). In situ observations of substrata by SCUBA divers provided estimates of 59% hard (4700 km) and 12% soft (960 km) substrata on seasonally ice-free shores of the Antarctic Peninsula, giving an estimate of 253,000 t C at 20 m depth, with a sequestration potential of ~4500 t C year<sup>−1</sup>. Currently, 54% of the shoreline is permanently ice covered and so climate-mediated ice loss along the Peninsula is predicted to more than double this carbon sink. The steep fjordic shorelines make these assemblages a globally important pathway to sequestration, acting as one of the few negative (mitigating) feedbacks to climate change. The proposed WAP marine protected area could safeguard this ecosystem service, helping to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises.en_US
dc.identifier.citationMorley SA, SOUSTER T, Vause, Gerrish L, Peck LS, Barnes. Benthic Biodiversity, Carbon Storage and the Potential for Increasing Negative Feedbacks on Climate Change in Shallow Waters of the Antarctic Peninsula. Biology (Basel). 2022;11(2)en_US
dc.identifier.cristinIDFRIDAID 2008420
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/biology11020320
dc.identifier.issn2079-7737
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10037/26523
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherMDPIen_US
dc.relation.journalBiology (Basel)
dc.rights.accessRightsopenAccessen_US
dc.rights.holderCopyright 2022 The Author(s)en_US
dc.titleBenthic Biodiversity, Carbon Storage and the Potential for Increasing Negative Feedbacks on Climate Change in Shallow Waters of the Antarctic Peninsulaen_US
dc.type.versionpublishedVersionen_US
dc.typeJournal articleen_US
dc.typeTidsskriftartikkelen_US
dc.typePeer revieweden_US


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