Seagrass Carbon Storage Greater than Forests – Fascinating Study
Carbon capture and storage — known as sequestration — is the key issue affecting climate change. Forests are usually thought of as the best example of how nature stores carbon, removing it from the atmosphere. A new study, in the scientific journal NATURE shows that the vast coastal seagrass beds — hardly something that any of us usually thinks about — actually stores more carbon than forests can. This is fascinating and of potential huge importance.
This reinforces the importance of the marine ecosystem when we look at the planet as an ecosystem. While we have some awareness that we terrestrials live on the other 28% of the planet’s surface, we often ignore how things like carbon, greenhouse gases, the composition of the atmosphere, may be more affected by what happens in the ocean.
This surprising story is powerful, and very relevant to the understanding of climate change, both from natural forces, and those affected by humans. I found it interesting that a Google search this morning showed that this science story got tremendous global coverage. It was picked up by Reuters, MSNBC, and even places you might hardly expect like Kansas City infoZine.