The roles of macroalgae in climate change mitigation: opportunities and challenges for marine-based carbon donor
Tri Handayani (a*), Firman Zulpikar (a), Agus Kusnadi (a)

(a)Research Center for Oceanography- National Research and Innovation Agency
*handayanit1616[at]gmail.com

Abstract

Anthropogenic activities will lead to an exponential increase in CO2 emissions in the future. Increased CO2 emissions have an impact on global climate patterns, ocean acidification, and ecosystem function. Marine vegetation has the potential for CO2 absorption and carbon storage, known as ^blue carbon.^ Research on blue carbon in the world, including Indonesia, is more focused on seagrass and mangroves because including macroalgae carbon in the blue carbon strategy is still controversial. Currently, there are many considerations for including macroalgal carbon in the blue carbon strategy. Macroalgae have a shorter life cycle than seagrass and mangroves. In addition, macroalgae generally grow on hard substrates, resulting in lower levels of carbon storage than seagrass and mangroves. However, macroalgae can function as carbon donors and play a role in the context of climate change mitigation. In this review, we present the potential and challenges of macroalgae as carbon donors. Macroalgae will be significant as donor carbon if they have the following three criteria: high average biomass production- effective transfer of biomass to recipient habitat- and donor carbon must be able to be buried in recipient habitat.

Keywords: macroalgae, blue carbon, climate change, carbon donor, sequestration

Topic: Aquatic Ecology and Conservation (International)