Spatial Variability of Greenhouse Gases in Blue Carbon Mangrove Ecosystems

Blue carbon ecosystems, including mangrove forests, play a vital role in the global carbon cycle through their carbon sequestration and storage capabilities. Mangrove trees remove CO2 from the atmosphere and store it within these ecosystems. Buildup of organic matter also contributes to high production of methane that is eventually released to adjacent coastal systems and to the atmosphere through air sea gas exchange. It is necessary to investigate environmental conditions that drive greenhouse gas fluctuations to understand how they will change due to climate change and ocean acidification impacts. The goal of this study is to investigate the spatial variability of Greenhouse gas concentrations throughout different areas of a mangrove system and identify environmental changes that coincide with greenhouse gas fluxes. Continuous surveys were conducted throughout two different sites of a mangrove forest in Hollywood, Florida to measure CO2, CH4, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity. CO2 and CH4 fluxes were positively correlated in both survey locations, emphasizing that both greenhouse gasses are driven by similar factors. Dissolved oxygen showed a strong negative correlation with CO2 and CH4 in both sites, indicating oxygen depletion due to high primary productivity rates. Surface water temperatures and salinity had a positive relationship with both greenhouse gases, indicating longer water residency times are associated with increased water temperatures and greenhouse gas concentrations. Potential factors such temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen can be used to further investigate the spatial variability of greenhouse gas concentrations throughout mangrove systems