title: 'Blue Carbon' and Nutrient Stocks of Salt Marshes at a Temperate Coastal Lagoon (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal).
abstract: Ria de Aveiro is a mesotidal coastal lagoon with one of the largest continuous salt marshes in Europe. The objective of this work was to assess C, N and P stocks of Spartina maritima (low marsh pioneer halophyte) and Juncus maritimus (representative of mid-high marsh halophytes) combined with the contribution of Halimione portulacoides, Sarcocornia perennis, and Bolbochenous maritimus to the lagoon ≈4400 ha marsh area. A multivariate analysis (PCO), taking into account environmental variables and the annual biomass and nutrient dynamics, showed that there are no clear seasonal or spatial differences within low or mid-high marshes, but clearly separates J. maritimus and S. maritima marshes. Calculations of C, N and P stocks in the biomass of the five most representative halophytes plus the respective rhizosediment (25 cm depth), and taking into account their relative coverage, represents 252053 Mg C, 38100 Mg N and 7563 Mg P. Over 90% of the stocks are found within mid-high marshes. This work shows the importance of this lagoon's salt marshes on climate and nutrients regulation, and defines the current condition concerning the 'blue carbon' and nutrient stocks, as a basis for prospective future scenarios of salt marsh degradation or loss, namely under SLR context.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology &CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology &CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.|Department of Geosciences &GeoBioTec Research Centre, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Danielle B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences &GeoBioTec Research Centre, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Eduardo Ferreira da
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Planning &CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Lisa P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology &CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Daniel F R
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Cleary
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology &CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Amadeu M V M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology &CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Lillebø
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism; D011174:Portugal; D055051:Salt-Tolerant Plants / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D012621:Seasons; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D010758:Phosphorus; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen