Coral Reefs: Potential Blue Carbon Sinks for Climate Change Mitigation

Authors

Tuo SHI, Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, ChinaFollow
Xinqing ZHENG, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China Observation and Research Station of Island and Coastal Ecosystems in the Western Taiwan Strait, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, ChinaFollow
Han ZHANG, Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
Qifang WANG, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
Xin ZHONG, Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China

Keywords

coral reefs, carbon neutrality, negative emissions, resilience, ecological restoration

Document Type

Technical Roadmap and Strategic Thinking of Ocean Negative Emissions Aiming Carbon Neutrality

Abstract

Coral reefs are one of the most productive, and yet most vulnerable marine ecosystems. The global decline of coral reefs induced by climate change and human activities has already affected the processes of coral calcification and carbon cycling in the reef ecosystem, intensifying the long-standing CO2 "source-sink" debate over coral reefs. Despite the fact that coral calcification is accompanied by the release of CO2 to the atmosphere, the significance of coral reefs as a carbon sink cannot be ignored, given the complex biogeochemical processes in the reef ecosystem and the characteristic mixotrophic lifestyle of the reef-building corals. From the perspective of increasing coral resilience to climate change, this study attempts to clarify the controversy over the coral reef CO2 "source-sink" debate, explore the possible ecological regulations and pathways to transform coral reefs from a carbon source to a carbon sink, and provide theoretical framework and technical support for the deployment of ocean negative carbon emissions and the implementation of the national carbon neutrality strategy

First page

270

Last Page

278

Language

Chinese

Publisher

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences

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Recommended Citation

SHI, Tuo; ZHENG, Xinqing; ZHANG, Han; WANG, Qifang; and ZHONG, Xin (2021) "Coral Reefs: Potential Blue Carbon Sinks for Climate Change Mitigation," Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version): Vol. 36 : Iss. 3 , Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.16418/j.issn.1000-3045.20210217102
Available at: https://bulletinofcas.researchcommons.org/journal/vol36/iss3/5