131
5.2 Literature Review of Carbon Storage Functioning
in Tidal Flats
Carbon storage functioning can be evaluated with regard to carbon stocks and flows.
Primary and secondary producers and sediment have all been the subjects of carbon
stock and flow studies in tidal flat ecosystems. Table 5.1 lists some of the reported
carbon flows related to microalgae, macrofauna, and sediment in tidal flats and salt
Table 5.1 Summary of primary production by microalgae, secondary production and calcification
by macrofauna, and sedimentary carbon accumulation rate in tidal flats
Subject
Station
Species/site
Rate (g
C m
−2  year
−1
) References
Microalgae
Microphytobenthos
temperate intertidal
(n = 41)
111 ± 99
Cahoon (1999)
Microphytobenthos
29–234
Underwood and
Kromkamp
(1999)
U.S. and Europe
estuaries
Microphytobenthos
80–150
Colijn and de
Jonge (1984)
Phytoplankton
7–875
Underwood and
Kromkamp
(1999)
24 U.S. estuaries Phytoplankton
251
Heip et al.
(1995)
16 Europe
estuaries
Phytoplankton
195
Heip et al.
(1995)
Seto Inland Sea,
Japan
Phytoplankton
218
Tada et al.
(1998)
Macroalgae
Venice lagoon
Ulva rigida
132–358
Sfriso et al.
(1993)
Mudflat
Enteromorpha spp.
1110
Pregnall and
Rudy (1985)
Coos Bay estuary
Vascular plant
Salt marsh
Phragmites australis
2610
GonzálezAlcaraz et al.
(2012)
Mar Menor
lagoon
Salt marsh
Sarcocornia fruticosa
1298
Sousa et al.
(2010)
Tagus estuary
Yangtze estuary Spartina alterniflora
2160
Liao et al.
(2007)
Macrofaunal
secondary
production
Marennes-Oléron
Bay, France
Cerastoderma edule
11.4
Sauriau and
Kang (2000)
Hichirippu
Lagoon, Japan
Ruditapes philippinarum 96.5
Komorita et al.
(2014)
(continued)
5 Carbon Storage in Tidal Flats