Eelgrass mitigation of sediment acidification in Frenchman Bay, Maine
Berry-Sandelin L, Farrell AE, Disney JE. 2016. Eelgrass mitigation of sediment acidification in Frenchman Bay, Maine. Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
From the abstract: "Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is an inter-tidal marine ecosystem that can prevent erosion, mitigate wave action, provide a nursery areas and shelter for commercially important species, and act as a carbon sink. We are interested in the ability of eelgrass to mitigate climate change and ocean acidification. During photosynthesis eelgrass removes carbon dioxide from the surrounding water column and deposits carbon into the sediment. When anthropogenic carbon is taken out of the water column, it is unable to bond with carbonate to form carbonic acid, therefore raising water column pH, and allowing organisms with calcium carbonate structures to grow more easily. This has potential implications for commercially important species including: clams, mussels and oysters. We have made comparisons of pH levels within and around eelgrass beds and found that pH is higher in the vicinity of eelgrass than in un-vegetated areas. These data provide a compelling argument for protection and restoration of eelgrass beds, which may be conferring some protection for shellfish from impacts of near shore ocean acidification."
- Type
- Poster
- Authors
- Berry-Sandelin, Leah; Farrell, Anna; Disney, Jane
- Date of Issue
- 2016-10-05
- Publisher
- Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
- Units
- ACAD
- Keywords
- acidification, Education, marine communities, Research & Studies, restoration, sediment