Blue carbon storage in restored, invaded, and historic marshes

Blue carbon is a term used to describe organic carbon stored in coastal wetland ecosystems. In this talk, I will present results from three different projects on blue carbon. First I will discuss the fate of blue carbon in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California (the Delta) from its formation over six thousand years ago to the present and provide estimates for future carbon storage in restored wetlands. Next, I will describe wetland formation and carbon storage processes in a restoring vs. historical marsh near Olympia, Washington. Finally, I will provide brand new results on carbon storage in novel environments dominated by invasive, submerged aquatic vegetation in the Delta.

Speaker: Judith Drexler, Wetland Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center