Coastal blue carbon: Concept, study method, and the application to ecological restoration

Coastal blue carbon refers to the carbon taken from atmospheric CO2; fixed by advanced plants (including salt marsh, mangrove, and seagrass), phytoplankton, macroalgae, and marine calcifiers via the interaction of plants and microbes; and stored in nearshore sediments and soils; as well as the carbon transported from the coast to the ocean and ocean floor. The carbon sequestration capacity per unit area of coastal blue carbon is far greater than that of the terrestrial carbon pool. The mechanisms and controls of the carbon sink from salt marshes, mangroves, seagrasses, the aquaculture of shellfish and macroalgae, and the microbial carbon pump need to be further studied. The methods to quantify coastal blue carbon include carbon flux measurements, carbon pool measurements, manipulative experiments, and modeling. Restoring, conserving, and enhancing blue carbon will increase carbon sinks and produce carbon credits, which could be traded on the carbon market. The need to tackle climate change and implement China’s commitment to cut carbon emissions requires us to improve studies on coastal blue carbon science and policy. The knowledge learned from coastal blue carbon improves the conservation and restoration of salt marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses; enhances the function of the microbial carbon pump; and promotes sustainable aquaculture, such as ocean ranching.