Canvin, MC, Moore, PJ and Smale, DA 2024 Quantifying growth, erosion and dislodgement rates of farmed kelp (Saccharina latissima) to examine the carbon sequestration potential of temperate seaweed farming. Journal of Applied Phycology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-024-03323-w
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract/Summary
Seaweed cultivation, including kelp species, is rapidly expanding in many regions. A widely assumed co-benefit of seaweed farming is increased local carbon sequestration rates (thereby contributing to climate change mitigation), although direct field-based measurements of carbon assimilation and release are largely lacking. We quantified growth, erosion and dislodgement rates of farmed Saccharina latissima in Porthallow Bay (Cornwall, UK) throughout a typical cultivation season to provide insights into the carbon sequestration potential of small-scale kelp farms. Blade elongation rates increased from ~ 1.3 cm day−1 to ~ 2.3 cm day−1 in March–April, before declining to 1.4 cm day−1 by May. Meanwhile, erosion rates remained low, ranging from ~ 0.5 to ~ 0.8 cm day−1. Dislodgement rates decreased from 20% of plants in January–February to 5% in April–May. Rates of carbon accumulation and loss increased from January to May, related to an increase in standing stock. Conservative first-order estimates suggest that the farm captures 0.14 t C ha−1 y−1, of which up to 70% is released into the environment as particulate organic carbon. Based on previous estimates of carbon burial and storage rates, the farm may sequester 0.05 t CO2e ha−1 y−1. These values suggest that scaling-up European kelp farming should be motivated by other co-benefits, such as low-carbon product alternatives, job creation and potential biodiversity gains, and not be solely driven by a perceived meaningful increase in carbon sequestration. Importantly, further information needs to be obtained from a variety of cultivation sites to develop a better understanding of carbon dynamics associated with kelp farms
Item Type: | Publication - Article |
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Additional Keywords: | seaweed farming, phaeophyceae, carbon dynamics, low trophic aquaculture, carbon sequestration, climate change mitigation, sugar kelp |
Subjects: | Aquaculture Marine Sciences |
Divisions: | Marine Biological Association of the UK > Coastal Ecology |
Depositing User: | Ms Kristina Hixon |
Date made live: | 08 Aug 2024 10:22 |
Last Modified: | 08 Aug 2024 10:22 |
URI: | https://plymsea.ac.uk/id/eprint/10265 |
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