BLUES - Unveiling the hidden role in BLUE carbon Sink of lagoon angiosperm meadows and associated biostructuring biota

There is increasing interest in protecting, restoring and creating ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems (e.g. tidal marshes, seagrasses) to sequester atmospheric CO2 and thereby contribute to climate change mitigation. A current limitation to the inclusion of seagrass in global greenhouse gas abatement schemes is a paucity of data on carbon budgets from meadows covering a range of species and conditions. Furthermore, an aspect that has never been considered is the role of seagrass-associated biostructuring biota (calcareous macroalgae, animal organisms with shells or calcareous coatings), which sequester huge quantities of CO2 to form their shells/coatings. The amount and role of this biota as carbon sink within the meadows is almost unknown.
The BLUES project, using Northern Adriatic lagoons as a study case, is aimed to fill this gap and to develop an integrated angiosperm (Zostera, Cymodocea, Ruppia) and associated biostructuring biota account, through (i) innovative multispectral-multitemporal measures of the extent of aquatic angiosperm ecosystems, (ii) innovative measures of aquatic angiosperm ecosystem state and health, and associated biostructuring biota, (iii) innovative measures of aquatic angiosperm ecosystems and associated biostructuring biota blue carbon flow/storage. The BLUES project is centered on 3 WPs, closely interrelated with each other, and aimed to the study of Extent (WP1), Condition (WP2), and Blue carbon services (WP3) of lagoon angiosperm meadows and associated biota, plus 2 further WPs dedicated to management and dissemination:
WP0 - Project management and coordination of activities
WP1 – Extent: High-resolution multispectral images for multi-temporal maps of angiosperm meadows using dedicated airborne platforms. Here remote sensing techniques will be applied on angiosperm ecosystems for detecting spatial coverage, biomass, growth patterns and degradation of aquatic angiosperms at a species-level discrimination
WP2 – Condition: building integrated aquatic angiosperm ecosystem and biostructuring associated biota accounts. Here C stocks in the (1) above ground (plant tissue, epyphytic organisms) and below ground (roots and rhizomes) biomasses, (2) sediments, with organic (microalgae, macroalgae, associated biota, and detritus), and inorganic (carbonates) forms, will be assessed at 6 study sites in Venice and Po Delta lagoons.
WP3 – Blue carbon services: Assessment of the current and potential blue carbon storage of aquatic angiosperm ecosystems including the associated biostructuring species. Here the carbon capacity of different ecosystems will be quantified, including, for the first time ever, the contribution made by all species of biostructuring organisms associated with the different angiosperm meadows.
WP4 - Dissemination of results: webpage, social communication, local press, final conference, scientific papers.
The BLUES project is carried out by two RUs (UNIFE and UNIVE), whose activities are closely integrated.