Supercharged Carbon Sequestration
Why coastal ecosystems outpace forests in carbon capture
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Section 2 of 5The Anoxic Advantage
Blue carbon ecosystems achieve exceptional sequestration rates through a simple mechanism: waterlogged sediments exclude oxygen, slowing microbial decomposition by 10-50×.
Carbon Capture
Plants photosynthesize, converting atmospheric CO₂ into biomass. Mangroves and salt marshes also trap carbon-rich particles from tidal waters.
Organic Matter Input
Leaves, roots, and detritus fall into sediments. Seagrass meadows also capture drifting organic particles from the water column.
Waterlogging Excludes Oxygen
Tidal flooding saturates sediments. Oxygen diffuses 10,000× slower in water than air. Anoxic conditions develop just centimeters below the surface.
Decomposition Stalls
Aerobic microbes cannot function without oxygen. Anaerobic decomposition is far less efficient. Organic carbon accumulates layer by layer, year after year.
Long-Term Storage
Buried carbon remains stable for centuries to millennia. Sediment cores reveal organic matter 1,000+ years old still intact.
Interactive Carbon Burial Rate Comparator
Compare sequestration rates, carbon density, and global impact across ecosystems
📊 Carbon Burial Rate (per area)
Salt marshes lead in carbon accumulation per unit area, trapping organic matter in dense root mats and peat. Mangroves follow with high rates from both biomass and sediment trapping. Despite lower per-area rates, seagrass meadows contribute significantly due to vast coverage.
Blue carbon rates are 4-7× higher than terrestrial forests due to waterlogged, anoxic sediments that slow decomposition.
💡 The Storage Equation
Effective carbon sequestration = (Carbon input rate) − (Decomposition rate). Terrestrial systems have high input but also high decomposition. Blue carbon ecosystems have moderate input but extremely low decomposition, resulting in net storage 5-10× higher per hectare. This is why a small coastal wetland can outperform a vast forest in climate mitigation per unit area.