Nature – Bergagna et al. (2024): Blue carbon storage in a sub-Antarctic marine protected area

Lucía Bergagna, Gustavo Lovrich, Luciana Riccialdelli, Ricardo Sahade  IN: Scientific Reports, 14,
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-71319-0

Here the authors show that the carbon reservoirs of these MPAs can be greater than those of their Antarctic counterparts, which, together with their extension, emphasize the need to maintain their protected status. They assume low sediment deposition due to the oceanic location, as direct sedimentation rates for these areas are unavailable. Most blue carbon assessments have focused solely on OC, despite the formation of CaCO₃ releases CO₂, decreasing net carbon storage. The authors compared various approaches for incorporating carbonates into carbon estimations. These results underscore the importance of including IC into carbon assessments and highlights the importance of sub-Antarctic benthic ecosystems as nature-based solutions to climate change.

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