VICTORIAN BLUE CARBON STOCKS
Variability and Vulnerability of Coastal ‘Blue Carbon’ Stocks: A Case Study from Southeast Australia
Through a comprehensive, large-scale sampling campaign of sediment Blue Carbon in tidal marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses in a data-deficient region of temperate southeast Australia, this study contributed to the growing global inventory of blue carbon sinks.
This program sampled over 100 blue carbon ecosystems across the Victorian coastline (southeast Australia) to quantify total sediment stocks, variability across spatial scales, and estimate emissions associated with historical ecosystem loss. This study was among the first to present a comprehensive comparison of sediment stocks across and within coastal blue carbon ecosystems. We estimate substantial and valuable carbon stocks associated with these ecosystems that have suffered considerable losses in the past and need protection into the future to maintain their role as carbon sinks.
Selected Media & Publications
Variability and vulnerability of coastal ‘blue carbon’ stocks: A case study from southeast Australia.
Ewers CJ, Carnell PE, Sanderman J, Baldock JA, Macreadie PI (2017). Ecosystems 21: 263-279
Impacts of land reclamation on tidal marsh ‘Blue Carbon’ stocks.
Ewers Lewis C, Baldock J, Hawke B, Gadd P, Zawazki A, Heijnis H, Jacobsen G, Rogers K, Macreadie P. (2019) Science of the Total Environment 672: 427-437.
Project Partners
This work was led by Deakin University’s Blue Carbon Lab and was part of the PhD thesis by Carolyn Ewers Lewis. Project partners included the Victorian Coastal Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs): Glenelg Hopkins CMA, Corangamite CMA, Port Phillip Westernport CMA, West Gippsland CMA, and East Gippsland CMA.
Funding sources
This project was funded by an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project, with additional contributions from Deakin University.
Progress
