Threatened coastal seagrasses supply more carbon storage than forests
New research shows coastal seagrass store up to twice the amount of carbon as above-ground forests, but are being threatened by dredging and water pollution, among other factors. Treehugger reports on the global analysis by Nature Geoscience showing seagrass can store “83,000 metric tons of carbon per square kilometer, versus 30,000 tons for a typical forest” and “29% of all historic seagrass meadows have been destroyed, primarily due to dredging and water pollution, with 1.5% of seagrass meadows destroyed each year.” The recent release of the New York City Wetland Strategy appears particularly timely in light of these findings.
A 2-acre wetland restoration project, including coastal seagrass plantings, is currently underway at Freshkills Park as a model project to be replicated elsewhere at the 2,200-acre park site.
(via Treehugger)
