Tracing the fate of Macroalgae with a focus on blue carbon processes in sub-arctic North Atlantic fjord ecosystems and beyond

The impact of rising CO2 levels on our climate is well known. In recent years the need to research climate change mitigation measures and identify carbon sinks has become a global priority. Previous estimates suggest the current global macroalgae primary production accounts for the majority of carbon uptake by marine vegetation in the ocean. However, it remains unclear whether kelp and fucus species store the majority of carbon as currently thought, how this might be affected by changes in environmental conditions, and whether carbon captured by macroalgae reaches carbon sinks for long-term storage. As part of BlueCea we propose to survey a temperate (Faroe Islands) and sub-Arctic (East Greenland) fjord system with the purpose to estimate blue carbon standing stock in macroalgae forests at either ends of the Ridge and trace the likelihood of this carbon to reach carbon sinks through various pathways. BlueCea willcombine traditional survey methodology, and satellite imagery analysis to identify macroalgal carbon sinks on land, within fjords and offshore. Applying an already existing numerical ocean model which is currently further developed to couple a biogeochemical model as part of the Fjordprocess project will enable us to make clearer predictions about the distribution and function of macroalgae across the Ridge