New study on how Living Shorelines create carbon sinks

Jeff Benoit thanks for sending this article along!CLIMATE:'Living shorelines' make effective carbon sinks -- studyEmily Yehle, E&E reporterPublished: Wednesday, December 16, 2015"Living shorelines" could curb the effects of climate change, according to a new study that measured how much carbon is sequestered in such man-made marshes.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration touted the study today as further proof that coastal communities should opt for living shorelines over bulkheads and other hardened structures. NOAA researchers led the study, which was published in the journal PLOS ONE."This study shows that we can add carbon sequestration to the reasons to use natural, living shorelines, along with preventing shoreline erosion, the clearing of nutrient pollution and protecting the habitats of essential fish populations," said Carolyn Currin, the study's co-author and a scientist with NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science.Researchers measured carbon sequestration in three natural marshes and five transplanted tidal salt marshes in North Carolina's Newport River Estuary. They found that the transplanted marshes were similar to their natural counterparts in the potential for storing carbon, though younger marshes generally have higher storage rates.That means the state's 124 living shorelines might offset 64 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, or the equivalent of 7,500 gallons of gasoline, according to researchers.As coastal areas face more extreme weather and a rising sea level, cities and towns face decisions on how best to protect their shores. Bulkheads -- or a type of seawall -- are the traditional response to erosion. But support has grown for the alternative of living shorelines, which use natural materials like plants and sand to stabilize a shoreline while also protecting habitat and improving water quality.The PLOS ONE study is the first to look specifically at carbon sequestration in the narrow marshes that make up living shorelines. In a press release, NOAA framed it as further evidence of the need for living shorelines."Shoreline management techniques like this can help reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere while increasing coastal resilience," said Russell Callender, acting director of NOAA's National Ocean Service, in a statement. "As communities around the country become more vulnerable to natural disasters and long-term adverse environmental change, scientific research such as this helps people, communities, businesses, and governments better understand risk and develop solutions to mitigate impacts."