129
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019
T. Kuwae, M. Hori (eds.), Blue Carbon in Shallow Coastal Ecosystems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1295-3_5
Chapter 5
Carbon Storage in Tidal Flats
Toru Endo and Sosuke Otani
Abstract Tidal flat ecosystems are important habitats in shallow coastal waters. In
this chapter, carbon storage in a bivalve (Corbicula japonica), phytoplankton, and
sediment is estimated at two tidal flats in a eutrophic coastal area of Osaka Bay in
Japan. First, we estimate the carbon storage of the bivalve from the rate of organic
carbon production and shell production measured by monthly field investigations.
We then estimate the carbon storage of phytoplankton based on phytoplankton biomass measurements and a model of gross primary production and respiration based
on incubation experiments. To assess carbon storage in sediment, biodegradation
tests of sedimentary organic carbon taken from the intertidal zone and the subtidal
zone were carried out for 100 days; the residual sedimentary organic carbon is considered to represent long-term storage of carbon in sediment. Finally, the carbon
storage functions of bivalves, phytoplankton, and sedimentary organic matter in
tidal flat ecosystems are summarized.
5.1 Introduction
Over half of the biological carbon in the world is captured by marine living organisms (Nellemann et al. 2009). Furthermore, 50–71% of all carbon storage in ocean
sediments occurs within coastal vegetated habitats, despite the area of the ocean’s
vegetated habitats such as mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass meadows (blue
carbon ecosystems) representing less than 0.5% of the sea bed and their plant biomass accounting for only 0.05% of the global total (Nellemann et al. 2009). Atwood
et al. (2015) have also noted the importance of food web structures in blue carbon
ecosystems for carbon storage.
T. Endo (*)
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka City University, Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka,
Japan
e-mail: t.endo@eng.osaka-cu.ac.jp
S. Otani
Civil Engineering and Environment Course, Department of Technological Systems, Osaka
Prefecture University College of Technology, Saiwaicho, Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019
T. Kuwae, M. Hori (eds.), Blue Carbon in Shallow Coastal Ecosystems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1295-3_5
Chapter 5
Carbon Storage in Tidal Flats
Toru Endo and Sosuke Otani
Abstract Tidal flat ecosystems are important habitats in shallow coastal waters. In
this chapter, carbon storage in a bivalve (Corbicula japonica), phytoplankton, and
sediment is estimated at two tidal flats in a eutrophic coastal area of Osaka Bay in
Japan. First, we estimate the carbon storage of the bivalve from the rate of organic
carbon production and shell production measured by monthly field investigations.
We then estimate the carbon storage of phytoplankton based on phytoplankton biomass measurements and a model of gross primary production and respiration based
on incubation experiments. To assess carbon storage in sediment, biodegradation
tests of sedimentary organic carbon taken from the intertidal zone and the subtidal
zone were carried out for 100 days; the residual sedimentary organic carbon is considered to represent long-term storage of carbon in sediment. Finally, the carbon
storage functions of bivalves, phytoplankton, and sedimentary organic matter in
tidal flat ecosystems are summarized.
5.1 Introduction
Over half of the biological carbon in the world is captured by marine living organisms (Nellemann et al. 2009). Furthermore, 50–71% of all carbon storage in ocean
sediments occurs within coastal vegetated habitats, despite the area of the ocean’s
vegetated habitats such as mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass meadows (blue
carbon ecosystems) representing less than 0.5% of the sea bed and their plant biomass accounting for only 0.05% of the global total (Nellemann et al. 2009). Atwood
et al. (2015) have also noted the importance of food web structures in blue carbon
ecosystems for carbon storage.
T. Endo (*)
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka City University, Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka,
Japan
e-mail: t.endo@eng.osaka-cu.ac.jp
S. Otani
Civil Engineering and Environment Course, Department of Technological Systems, Osaka
Prefecture University College of Technology, Saiwaicho, Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan