Image: Regina Kolzenburg
Image: Regina Kolzenburg
Research project This project will provide first-time data on Jersey coralline algae bed performance and carbon assimilation by comparing locations within and outside Marine Protected Areas. The outcomes will enhance our knowledge of the role of coralline algae beds in climate change mitigation and the conservation of biodiversity hot spots.
Some marine macroalgae, also known as coralline algae (CA), are important ecosystem engineers, forming 3D bioconstructions. CA produce and incorporate calcium carbonate (CaCO3) into their cell walls and therefore have an immediate effect on the carbonate system. Dead CA, leaving behind a CaCO3 structure, can represent an important long-term store for CaCO3.
Despite their importance, there is little research on carbon storage in CA beds and their potential role in the marine carbon cycle. It is unclear to what extent they can help mitigate climate change-induced impacts through carbon sequestration and directly (through 3D structures) and indirectly (through habitat alterations) support associated biodiversity within their region.
