Articles | Volume 19, issue 18
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4619-2022
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4619-2022
Research article
 | 
28 Sep 2022
Research article |  | 28 Sep 2022

Mediterranean seagrasses as carbon sinks: methodological and regional differences

Iris E. Hendriks, Anna Escolano-Moltó, Susana Flecha, Raquel Vaquer-Sunyer, Marlene Wesselmann, and Núria Marbà

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Cited articles

Agawin, N. S. R., Ferriol, P., Sintes, E., and Moyà, G.: Temporal and spatial variability of in situ nitrogen fixation activities associated with the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica meadows, Limnol. Oceanogr., 62, 2575–2592, https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.10591, 2017. 
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Amitai, Y., Yam, R., Montagna, P., Devoti, S., Correa, M. L., and Shemesh, A.: Spatial and temporal variability in Mediterranean climate over the last millennium from vermetid isotope records and CMIP5/PMIP3 models, Global Planet. Change, 189, 103159, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2020.103159, 2020. 
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Short summary
Seagrasses are marine plants with the capacity to act as carbon sinks due to their high primary productivity, using carbon for growth. This capacity can play a key role in climate change mitigation. We compiled and published data showing that two Mediterranean seagrass species have different metabolic rates, while the study method influences the rates of the measurements. Most communities act as carbon sinks, while the western basin might be more productive than the eastern Mediterranean.
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