제목: Seaweed Forests: Blue Carbon Potential​​​​​​​​​

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​연사: 이기택 교수 (포항공과대학교)​​​​

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장소: 과학관 B101호​​

Abstract:

​​Macroalgae are vital to oceanic carbon systems, absorbing CO₂ during growth. Biological activity deviates the dynamics of surface pCO , which are primarily controlled by changes in the sea surface temperature and air-sea C flux. Explicitly, the biological activity occurring in a macroalgal habitat of coastal Korea, leading to 4.4 g C m -2 month-1 of the net C uptake during the growing period (September-May), was sufficiently large to dampen the temperature-driven seasonal dynamics such that they impeded the equilibrium of seawater pCO2 with the atmosphere by increasing the magnitude of disequilibrium. However, the fate of this carbon after decomposition has remained uncertain. This study reveals that macroalgal decay releases bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻), a stable carbon form that enhances ocean alkalinity and mitigates acidification. Contrary to previous assumptions that decomposition primarily emits CO₂, over half of the inorganic carbon is released as HCO₃⁻. This process, driven by sulfate reduction, occurs even in oxygenated seawater, indicating that macroalgae play a greater role in long-term carbon storage than previously thought. These findings underscore the significance of macroalgal forests in global carbon cycling and emphasize their integration into climate mitigation strategies.