Table 1 Global estimates of carbon burial in individual ecosystems defined by their vegetation, and/or geomorphological characteristics in coastal wetlands, shelf sediments and tropical forests; illustrating that on a global scale, the carbon sink in shelf systems is comparable to that in tropical forests.

From: Climate action requires new accounting guidance and governance frameworks to manage carbon in shelf seas

Habitat

Area 106 ha

Org C burial 106 gC ha−1 yr−1

Global C burial Tg C yr−1

Mangrove

13.7–15.221

1.6249

22.2–24.8

Saltmarsh

2.2–4021

0.9149

2.2–36

Seagrass

17.7–6021

0.4349

7.6–25.8

Shelfa

270098

0.1798

45.298–135.699

Tropical forests

1962100

0.04100

78.5100

  1. Most of that shelf carbon is buried within ecosystems defined by their geomorphological, rather than biological, features. While mangroves, saltmarshes and seagrass meadows are important sinks on a per unit area basis, their extent is relatively small, but significant, as they are vulnerable habitats to human disturbance. Note that carbon deposition in shelf sediments (<200-m depth) is roughly equivalent to that in the deep ocean >200-m depth3, and potentially vulnerable to human activities.
  2. aThe depositional areas on the shelf varies with their geographic setting. The range given for global C burial represents estimates for a depositional areal extent of muds between 1098 and 30%99 of the total shelf area reported in column two.
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