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Coastal Carbon

The world runs on carbon, fuelling human energy needs through hydrocarbons and driving food webs. We investigate two key aspects of carbon movement.
Videography by Bodhi Connolly & Jean Davis

Project 1: Blue carbon


Many of the world’s coastlines are surrounded by a thin green strip of coastal wetlands (seagrass, saltmarsh and mangroves). These habitats sequester carbon rapidly, potentially locking it in marine sediments for hundreds to thousands of years. We investigate how sequestration varies from place to place, and how management of human activities can enhance the process.

Project 2: Food webs and sustainable fishing

Tracking carbon movement through the ecosystem using stable isotopes allows us to determine key energy pathways of coastal wetlands. We can then focus conservation efforts where they will be most effective, supporting sustainable fisheries and biodiversity objectives.

Collaborators

These projects are collaborative with students and many colleagues, including: Trisha Atwood (Utah State), Steven Bouillon (KU Leuven, Belgium), Carlos Duarte (KAUST, Saudi Arabia), Brad Eyre (SCU), Brian Fry (GU), Gary Kendrick (UWA), Joe Lee (Chinese U, Hong Kong), Cath Lovelock (UQ), Peter Macreadie (Deakin), Damien Maher (SCU), Joanne Oakes (SCU), Andrew Olds (USC), Mike Rasheed (JCU), Thomas Schlacher (USC), Paul York (JCU).

This work benefits from financial support from multiple sources including the Australian Research Council, CSIRO Coastal Carbon cluster, and Queensland Dept of Fisheries.
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Key papers:
Can we manage coastal ecosystems to sequester more blue carbon? (2017)
Macreadie PI...Connolly RM...et al. Frontiers Ecology Environment


Predators help protect carbon stocks in blue carbon ecosystems (2015)

Atwood TB, Connolly RM, Ritchie EG, Lovelock CE, Heithaus MR, Hays GC, Fourqurean JW, Macreadie PI
Nature Climate Change

Mechanisms and ecological role of carbon transfer within coastal seascapes

Hyndes G, Nagelkerken I, McLeod R, Connolly RM, Lavery P, Vanderklift M (2014) Biological Reviews

Sample acidification significantly alters stable isotope ratios of sulfur in aquatic plants and animals
Connolly RM, Schlacher TA (2013) 
Marine Ecology Progress Series


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