What evidence exists on the impacts of human activities on biodiversity and carbon capacity in North-East Atlantic blue carbon ecosystems: a systematic map protocol

[Background] Coastal ecosystems, including seagrass meadows, saltmarshes, and macroalgae, are crucial in the sequestration and storage of organic carbon. These ecosystems provide essential ecosystem services, such as supporting biodiversity, coastal protection, and water quality enhancement. Despite...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Kebir, Zina, Hausner, Vera Helene, Lennert, Ann Eileen, Poste, Amanda, Santos, Carmen B. de los
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/418731
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/418731
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105025424620
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Anthropogenic impacts
Biodiversity
Blue carbon
Carbon sequestration
Coastal ecosystems
Human activities
Organic carbon
Descripción
Sumario:[Background] Coastal ecosystems, including seagrass meadows, saltmarshes, and macroalgae, are crucial in the sequestration and storage of organic carbon. These ecosystems provide essential ecosystem services, such as supporting biodiversity, coastal protection, and water quality enhancement. Despite their significance, they face substantial threats from human activities, including pollution, habitat degradation, and overexploitation, further exacerbated by climate change phenomena like heatwaves and ocean acidification. Efforts to protect, restore, or alleviate pressures on blue carbon ecosystems can yield multifaceted benefits beyond climate mitigation, including preserving biodiversity, enhancing climate resilience, and safeguarding vital services for human well-being. Understanding the factors affecting the biodiversity and carbon capacity i.e. the capacity for carbon uptake, storage and sequestration, of these ecosystems is crucial for effective conservation efforts. The goal of the present study is to assess the available quantitative and qualitative evidence on the impacts of human activities on the biodiversity and carbon storage capacity of blue carbon ecosystems in the North-East Atlantic. Developing a systematic map of the available evidence could significantly enhance our understanding of the pressures faced by blue carbon ecosystems in the North-East Atlantic and facilitate the identification of knowledge clusters and gaps thereby determining the scope and depth of the current knowledge base.