ISSN: 2577-4050
Authors: Sawekwan P, Intanil P, Yokthongwattana C and Salaenoi J*
Seagrass meadows play crucial roles in delivering ecosystem services to various organisms and environmental systems, particularly in efficiently capturing and storing carbon. Thus, seagrasses are included in plans to address climate change challenges. However, there is limited data on carbon sequestration by seagrass in Thailand, especially in localized areas. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the carbon storage in both sediments and seagrass at Ao Pae, Rayong Province. The analysis focused on sediment depth and the impact of moisture content. Sediment and seagrass samples were collected during the low tide season during May 2022. The sampling area was divided into two zones: one with seagrass presence (9 stations) and another where seagrass was absent (4 stations). Sediment was collected from a depth of 60 cm, divided into six layers of 10 cm each. Results indicated that the highest organic carbon content was observed in sediment at depths of 0-10 cm (22.82±2.08%). Additionally, the organic carbon content showed a significant correlation with sediment moisture content in the area with seagrass presence (p<0.05). Furthermore, the mean belowground organic carbon (1.93±0.29%) exceeded the aboveground carbon (1.66±0.28%), and sediments from stations with seagrass had higher organic carbon content compared to those without seagrass. These findings underscore the potential role of seagrass as a significant carbon sequester in Ao Pae, Rayong Province.
Keywords: Seagrass; Blue Carbon; Carbon Storage; Sediment Organic Carbon
