WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
Researchers sampled 140 sediment cores and modeled historic cover in Mobjack Bay. At equivalent depths Zostera eelgrass stored roughly 31.4 versus Ruppia 25.0 mg carbon per square centimeter. Dense seagrass cover was estimated to rise 25% in 2010–2020 while interpolated sediment carbon rose just 2.6% as species dominance shifted.
WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ
Map-based habitat gain does not imply equivalent ecosystem service. Carbon accounting needs species, depth, sediment and canopy structure.
CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY
Carbon changes are spatial estimates from cores and historical interpolation, not measured net carbon flux or universal seagrass coefficients.
SOURCE
Ecosystems (27 Oct 2026)
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