Carbon storage in tidal marsh sediments in the Bay of Fundy : the role of vegetation and depth

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dc.contributor.advisor Lundholm, Jeremy T. (Jeremy Todd), 1970-
dc.creator Williams, Kayla
dc.date.accessioned 2021-05-10T15:18:58Z
dc.date.available 2021-05-10T15:18:58Z
dc.date.issued 2021
dc.identifier.uri http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/29521
dc.description 1 online resource (39 pages) : illustrations, map
dc.description Includes abstract.
dc.description Includes bibliographical references (pages 37-39).
dc.description.abstract Tidal marshes have the ability to sequester and store atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and thus contribute a valuable ecosystem service. Globally, tidal marshes have declined due to environmental damage and habitat conversion&mdash;however, restoration has become a promising mode of revitalization of these ecosystems. Little is known about carbon storage differences between restored and natural marshes or the factors that influence carbon storage in these systems. This study compares belowground carbon stocks in three tidal marshes (new restoration, old restoration, natural reference). Carbon content was sampled using a Russian peat corer at three locations in Spartina alterniflora vegetation at each marsh. Two sediment cores were taken at each sampling location, one from an area with live plants and one from bare mud, and each core subdivided into three depths: surface (&lt;3cm), rhizosphere (3cm-30cm) and below-rhizosphere (&lt;30cm). Statistical analysis showed that depth had no significant effect. Given this, it appears that the depth at which carbon is buried does not impact long-term carbon storage within tidal marshes. The older restoration and natural sites contained a similar amount of buried carbon as the new restoration site. There was no significant difference in carbon storage between vegetated versus unvegetated areas across all marshes. Further studies should explore the role of sedimentation and its influence on carbon storage within these systems. In addition, the impact of climate change should also be monitored within tidal marshes to ensure correct methods for conservation and restoration are being employed. en_CA
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dc.description.provenance Made available in DSpace on 2021-05-10T15:18:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Williams_Kayla_Honours_2021.pdf: 726654 bytes, checksum: 72b39af74c79416fce6918bed45fcd43 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2021-04-30 en
dc.language.iso en en_CA
dc.publisher Halifax, N.S. : Saint Mary's University
dc.title Carbon storage in tidal marsh sediments in the Bay of Fundy : the role of vegetation and depth en_CA
dc.type Text en_CA
thesis.degree.name Bachelor of Science (Honours Biology)
thesis.degree.level Undergraduate
thesis.degree.discipline Biology
thesis.degree.grantor Saint Mary's University (Halifax, N.S.)
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