A blueprint for national assessments of the blue carbon capacity of kelp forests applied to Canada’s coastline
Abstract Kelp forests offer substantial carbon fixation, with the potential to contribute to natural climate solutions (NCS). However, to be included in national NCS inventories, governments must first quantify the kelp-derived carbon stocks and fluxes leading to carbon sequestration. Here, we prese...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
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| Series: | npj Ocean Sustainability |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-025-00125-6 |
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| author | Jennifer McHenry Daniel K. Okamoto Karen Filbee-Dexter Kira A. Krumhansl Kathleen A. MacGregor Margot Hessing-Lewis Brian Timmer Philippe Archambault Claire M. Attridge Delphine Cottier Maycira Costa Matthew Csordas Ladd E. Johnson Joanne Lessard Alejandra Mora-Soto Anna Metaxas Christopher K. Neufeld Ondine Pontier Luba Reshitnyk Samuel Starko Jennifer Yakimishyn Julia K. Baum |
| author_facet | Jennifer McHenry Daniel K. Okamoto Karen Filbee-Dexter Kira A. Krumhansl Kathleen A. MacGregor Margot Hessing-Lewis Brian Timmer Philippe Archambault Claire M. Attridge Delphine Cottier Maycira Costa Matthew Csordas Ladd E. Johnson Joanne Lessard Alejandra Mora-Soto Anna Metaxas Christopher K. Neufeld Ondine Pontier Luba Reshitnyk Samuel Starko Jennifer Yakimishyn Julia K. Baum |
| author_sort | Jennifer McHenry |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Kelp forests offer substantial carbon fixation, with the potential to contribute to natural climate solutions (NCS). However, to be included in national NCS inventories, governments must first quantify the kelp-derived carbon stocks and fluxes leading to carbon sequestration. Here, we present a blueprint for assessing the national blue carbon capacity of kelp forests in which data synthesis and Bayesian hierarchical modeling enable estimates of kelp carbon production, storage, and export capacity from limited data. Applying this blueprint to Canada’s extensive coastline, we estimate kelps hold 0.6 to 2.8 Tg C in short-term biomass, producing 1.1 to 6.2 Tg C yr-1, of which 0.04 to 0.4 Tg C yr-1 could be exported to the deep ocean. While modest compared to terrestrial sinks, our findings suggest kelps have comparable carbon sequestration to marine and freshwater wetlands, warranting further consideration in Canada’s NCS inventories. Our transparent, reproducible blueprint represents an important step towards accurate carbon accounting for kelp forests. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e18702ae8aee47a0aa3d1cac4f53402a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2731-426X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Ocean Sustainability |
| spelling | doaj-art-e18702ae8aee47a0aa3d1cac4f53402a2025-08-20T03:26:42ZengNature Portfolionpj Ocean Sustainability2731-426X2025-06-014111210.1038/s44183-025-00125-6A blueprint for national assessments of the blue carbon capacity of kelp forests applied to Canada’s coastlineJennifer McHenry0Daniel K. Okamoto1Karen Filbee-Dexter2Kira A. Krumhansl3Kathleen A. MacGregor4Margot Hessing-Lewis5Brian Timmer6Philippe Archambault7Claire M. Attridge8Delphine Cottier9Maycira Costa10Matthew Csordas11Ladd E. Johnson12Joanne Lessard13Alejandra Mora-Soto14Anna Metaxas15Christopher K. Neufeld16Ondine Pontier17Luba Reshitnyk18Samuel Starko19Jennifer Yakimishyn20Julia K. Baum21University of Victoria, Department of BiologyUniversity of California Berkeley, Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of Western AustraliaFisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of OceanographyFisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne InstituteHakai InstituteUniversity of Victoria, Department of BiologyArcticNet, Takuvik International Research LaboratorySimon Fraser University, Department of Biological SciencesUniversité Laval, Department of BiologyUniversity of Victoria, Department of GeographyUniversity of Victoria, Department of BiologyUniversité Laval, Department of BiologyFisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological StationUniversity of Victoria, Department of GeographyDalhousie University, Department of OceanographyUniversity of British Columbia, Institute for the Oceans and FisheriesHakai InstituteHakai InstituteUniversity of Western AustraliaPacific Rim National Park ReserveUniversity of Victoria, Department of BiologyAbstract Kelp forests offer substantial carbon fixation, with the potential to contribute to natural climate solutions (NCS). However, to be included in national NCS inventories, governments must first quantify the kelp-derived carbon stocks and fluxes leading to carbon sequestration. Here, we present a blueprint for assessing the national blue carbon capacity of kelp forests in which data synthesis and Bayesian hierarchical modeling enable estimates of kelp carbon production, storage, and export capacity from limited data. Applying this blueprint to Canada’s extensive coastline, we estimate kelps hold 0.6 to 2.8 Tg C in short-term biomass, producing 1.1 to 6.2 Tg C yr-1, of which 0.04 to 0.4 Tg C yr-1 could be exported to the deep ocean. While modest compared to terrestrial sinks, our findings suggest kelps have comparable carbon sequestration to marine and freshwater wetlands, warranting further consideration in Canada’s NCS inventories. Our transparent, reproducible blueprint represents an important step towards accurate carbon accounting for kelp forests.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-025-00125-6 |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer McHenry Daniel K. Okamoto Karen Filbee-Dexter Kira A. Krumhansl Kathleen A. MacGregor Margot Hessing-Lewis Brian Timmer Philippe Archambault Claire M. Attridge Delphine Cottier Maycira Costa Matthew Csordas Ladd E. Johnson Joanne Lessard Alejandra Mora-Soto Anna Metaxas Christopher K. Neufeld Ondine Pontier Luba Reshitnyk Samuel Starko Jennifer Yakimishyn Julia K. Baum A blueprint for national assessments of the blue carbon capacity of kelp forests applied to Canada’s coastline npj Ocean Sustainability |
| title | A blueprint for national assessments of the blue carbon capacity of kelp forests applied to Canada’s coastline |
| title_full | A blueprint for national assessments of the blue carbon capacity of kelp forests applied to Canada’s coastline |
| title_fullStr | A blueprint for national assessments of the blue carbon capacity of kelp forests applied to Canada’s coastline |
| title_full_unstemmed | A blueprint for national assessments of the blue carbon capacity of kelp forests applied to Canada’s coastline |
| title_short | A blueprint for national assessments of the blue carbon capacity of kelp forests applied to Canada’s coastline |
| title_sort | blueprint for national assessments of the blue carbon capacity of kelp forests applied to canada s coastline |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-025-00125-6 |
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