Understanding blue carbon ecosystems

Description

Blue carbon is a commonly used term to describe coastal and marine habitats that store carbon, ranging from the deep seabed to shallow salt marshes. Although touted as highly efficient carbon sinks – removing carbon from the atmosphere at a far higher rate than terrestrial forests¹ – their genuine contribution to limiting climate change might not live up to the hype. Here, Dr Craig Smeaton, lecturer in physical geography at the University of St Andrews, delves into this debate, using data derived from his research to help shed light on the matter.