A new study buy the Virginia Institute of Marine Science shows that “coastal waters play an important role in the carbon cycle by transferring carbon to the open ocean or burying it in wetland soils and ocean sediments. The research helps establish how coastal processes influence atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and, in turn, climate. . .
. . . the team found tidal wetlands and estuaries—as typified by Chesapeake Bay—buried more than half the region’s carbon (62%), despite being the smallest ecosystems in the study domain. Tidal wetlands—only 2.4% of the study area—buried 42% of the carbon. Estuaries—9% of the area—buried 20%”. Find full article here.