Sanur seagrass study estimated 66.60 tons of carbon in 322 hectares

Sanur — A study published in Ecotrophic estimated that seagrass meadows in Sanur’s coastal area stored 66.60 tons of carbon across 322 hectares, or about 0.21 tons per hectare, based on biomass samples collected between June 2014 and February 2015.

The paper said the estimate covered carbon in seagrass tissue above and below the substrate, with about 60% of the measured stock found below the substrate and 40% above it. It also identified Enhalus acoroides as the species contributing the largest share of the measured carbon stock.

According to the study, researchers sampled eight stations and 24 transect points and recorded eight seagrass species in the Sanur area. A separate paper on seagrass species and density in Sanur Beach also found that Enhalus acoroides dominated the meadow and that density varied widely across sampling points.

What the study measured

The carbon figure was derived from seagrass biomass, not from a full sediment carbon inventory. The study used transects and tissue carbon analysis to estimate carbon stock across the surveyed coastal area.

That distinction matters because seagrass ecosystems store carbon in both plant biomass and seabed sediments, but the Sanur paper’s headline number concerns biomass-based storage within the sampled period.

Why Sanur matters

Seagrass meadows provide habitat for fish and other marine life, help stabilise sediment and can reduce wave energy, according to the study. The authors described Sanur’s meadow as part of a coastal ecosystem linked with nearby reef and mangrove habitats.

The earlier Sanur Beach study, based on fieldwork in October 2004, reported that seagrass density ranged from 40 to 338 individuals per 0.55 square metres and noted stronger disturbance in areas used for fishing, boat landing and tourism activity.

Taken together, the studies show that Sanur’s seagrass has measurable carbon-storage value and has also been exposed to pressure from coastal use. The 2016 carbon study, however, is a snapshot from the 2014-2015 survey period rather than a current measurement of the meadow’s condition.

Study details

• Survey period: June 2014 to February 2015.
• Sampling design: eight stations and 24 transect points.
• Seagrass area: 322 hectares.
• Estimated carbon stock: 66.60 tons, or 0.21 tons per hectare.
• Dominant contributor: Enhalus acoroides.

The Sanur meadow extended along roughly eight kilometres of coast, from the Grand Bali Beach area toward Mertasari, according to the earlier seagrass paper. Its seabed was described as a mixture of sand, coral fragments, dead coral, rock, coral and algae.

Researchers in the carbon study presented the result as a spatial estimate of seagrass biomass carbon in the surveyed area, not as a continuous monitoring record. The two studies together provide a baseline for future mapping and conservation work in one of Denpasar’s best-known coastal zones.

Sources

• Ecotrophic / media.neliti.com PDF copy of the study
• Jurnal Bumi Lestari / Universitas Udayana
• Ecotrophic, “Simpanan karbon padang lamun di kawasan pantai sanur, kota denpasar”
• Jurnal Bumi Lestari, “Jenis dan Kerapatan Padang Lamun di Pantai Sanur Bali”