The wetlands of the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve support populations of shorebirds, waterfowl, native plants, and rare and endangered species. (Painting/Nina Raffio)
What is ‘blue carbon’? Inside USC’s research on carbon capture in Upper Newport Bay
Coastal wetlands — threatened by rising seas — are nature’s powerhouses for capturing and storing carbon. USC researchers are studying how to protect these essential ecosystems.
Despite covering just 2% of the ocean, coastal wetlands — such as tidal salt marshes, mangrove forests and seagrass beds — are responsible for storing nearly half of all carbon found in ocean sediment. These “blue carbon” ecosystems naturally absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and bury it deep within their soil.
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But rising sea levels — projected to increase by up to a meter by 2100 — threaten to disrupt the water’s chemistry and the delicate balance of microorganisms essential for carbon cycling. Rising tides could also transform marshes into mudflats, releasing stored carbon back into the atmosphere and exacerbating climate change.