[{"_id":"project:2958","_type":"project","abstract":{"en":"Global climate change mitigation is the most important alternative to face the threats to our planet but poses ample challenges for society, governments and policy makers around the world. Within the climate debate, there is a key focus on the climate mitigation potential of natural carbon sinks. Nevertheless, there are major knowledge gaps concerning the functioning and vulnerability of these sinks and their critical link to climate compensation capacity and conservation policies, especially regarding the complex coastal marine environments of the Baltic Sea. The project will assess and quantify total net blue carbon sequestration capacity, greenhouse gas exchange and landscapeconnectivity (export and fate of carbon) coupled to habitat degradation and land-use change to identify hotspots of climate mitigation capacity in coastal seascapes of the Baltic region. This novel landscape-scale approach to understand and synthesize climate change mitigation capacity of blue carbon habitats will be contextualized in a comprehensive mapping of policy strategies, conservation practices, monitoring and area-based user conflicts across regions. Seascape-wide conceptual climate-carbon models on coastal blue carbon will be developed to identify areas for spatial conservation prioritization and areas of concern, which will benefit managers developing land use planning and policy-making that just and sustainably safeguard climate regulation services of seascapes in the Baltic Sea."},"keywords":{"sv":"Östersjö- och Östeuropaforskning","en":"Climate Change, Landscape Ecology, Sustainability Science, Baltic and East European studies"},"project_id":"21-GP-0005_OS","identifier_short":"21-GP-0005","dates":{"start_date":"2022-01-01","end_date":"2026-12-31"},"organizations":[{"funding":[{"_id":7,"id":"802400-4155","sv":"Östersjöstiftelsen","en":"The Foundation for Baltic and East European Studies"}]},{"coordinating":[{"_id":481,"id":"202100-4896","sv":"Södertörns högskola","en":"Södertörn University"}]}],"people":[{"project_leaders":[{"_id":"authority-person:19426","orcid":"0000-0002-7552-2431","name":"Gullström, Martin","role":"principal_investigator","affiliation":[{"_id":11837,"sv":"Miljövetenskap","en":"Environmental Science","parent":[{"_id":11831,"sv":"Institutionen för naturvetenskap, miljö och teknik","en":"School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies","parent":[{"_id":481,"id":"202100-4896","sv":"Södertörns högskola","en":"Södertörn University"}]}]}]}]},{"other_personnel":[{"name":"Torn, Kaire","role":"co_investigator"},{"orcid":"0000-0002-2757-1108","name":"Wlodarska-Kowalczuk, Maria","role":"co_investigator"},{"name":"Krause-Jensen, Dorte","role":"co_investigator","affiliation":[{"sv":"Aarhus University, Denmark"}]},{"orcid":"0000-0002-3105-8059","name":"Garbaras, Andrius","role":"co_investigator"},{"orcid":"0000-0001-9406-0976","name":"Asplund, Maria","role":"co_investigator","affiliation":[{"sv":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"orcid":"0000-0002-3751-625X","name":"Kjellqvist, Tomas","role":"co_investigator"},{"orcid":"0000-0003-0363-110X","name":"Björk, Mats","role":"co_investigator","affiliation":[{"sv":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"_id":"authority-person:284","orcid":"0000-0002-0260-3978","name":"Lehtilä, Kari","role":"co_investigator","affiliation":[{"_id":11837,"sv":"Miljövetenskap","en":"Environmental Science","parent":[{"_id":11831,"sv":"Institutionen för naturvetenskap, miljö och teknik","en":"School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies","parent":[{"_id":481,"sv":"Södertörns högskola","en":"Södertörn University"}]}]}]},{"orcid":"0000-0002-1522-8919","name":"Linderholm, Hans","role":"co_investigator"},{"_id":"authority-person:282","orcid":"0000-0002-6763-1697","name":"Andrén, Elinor","role":"co_investigator","affiliation":[{"_id":11837,"sv":"Miljövetenskap","en":"Environmental Science","parent":[{"_id":11831,"sv":"Institutionen för naturvetenskap, miljö och teknik","en":"School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies","parent":[{"_id":481,"sv":"Södertörns högskola","en":"Södertörn University"}]}]}]},{"_id":"authority-person:309","orcid":"0000-0002-5802-5126","name":"Sjöling, Sara","role":"co_investigator","affiliation":[{"_id":11837,"sv":"Miljövetenskap","en":"Environmental Science","parent":[{"_id":11831,"sv":"Institutionen för naturvetenskap, miljö och teknik","en":"School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies","parent":[{"_id":481,"sv":"Södertörns högskola","en":"Södertörn University"}]}]}]}]}],"tags":[{"_id":11539,"id":"10502","sv":"Miljövetenskap","en":"Environmental Sciences"}],"titles":{"en":"Climate change mitigation capacity of the Baltic coastal seascape: identification of hotspot environments for coastal blue carbon sequestration and guidance for sustainable management of the Baltic coastal landscapes under global change (CLIM-SCAPE)"},"type_of_awards":{"sv":"Projektbidrag","en":"Project grant"},"publications":[{"id":"diva2:2065435","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"title":"Coastal land uplift and intensified land-use influence seagrass carbon and nitrogen sink capacity over millennial timescales","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Dahl","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0003-2016-4857","localId":"mada21","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Braun","given":"Sara","ORCID":"0000-0002-4353-7073","localId":"sabr22","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Asplund","given":"Maria E.","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Björk","given":"Mats","ORCID":"0000-0003-0363-110X","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Kaal","given":"Joeri","affiliation":[{"name":"Pyrolyscience, Santiago de Compostela, Spain"}]},{"family":"Linderholm","given":"Hans W.","ORCID":"0000-0002-1522-8919","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Andrén","given":"Elinor","ORCID":"0000-0002-6763-1697","localId":"sheran04","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Andrén","given":"Thomas","ORCID":"0000-0001-5615-6088","localId":"shtsan06","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Ežerinskis","given":"Žilvinas","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Lithuania"}]},{"family":"Vidya Faizal","given":"Madhavu","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Forsberg","given":"Sara C.","ORCID":"0000-0002-6260-776X","localId":"safo22","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Garbaras","given":"Andrius","ORCID":"0000-0002-3105-8059","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Lithuania"}]},{"family":"Kylander","given":"Malin E.","ORCID":"0000-0001-8787-5069","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Masqué","given":"Pere","affiliation":[{"name":"Edith Cowan University, Australia; International Atomic Energy Agency, Monaco"}]},{"family":"Mateo","given":"Miguel A.","ORCID":"0000-0001-7567-0277","affiliation":[{"name":"Edith Cowan University, Australia; Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEAB-CSIC), Spain"}]},{"family":"Šapolaitė","given":"Justina","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Lithuania"}]},{"family":"Serrano","given":"Oscar","affiliation":[{"name":"Edith Cowan University, Australia; Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEAB-CSIC), Spain"}]},{"family":"Svensson","given":"J. Robin","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Vinogradova","given":"Olena","ORCID":"0000-0002-3147-9347","localId":"shoava16","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Gullström","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0002-7552-2431","localId":"magx20","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]}],"abstract":"Seagrass meadows store sedimentary carbon and nitrogen and thus play an important role in climate change mitigation and nutrient retention globally. Here we reconstruct the impact of land-use and coastal land uplift on millennial–scale seagrass (Zostera marina) blue carbon and nitrogen accumulation in the Baltic Sea based on a multiproxy paleoreconstruction approach. We show that increased landscape clearance resulted in higher terrestrial runoff and increased accumulation of carbon and nitrogen, whereas land uplift led to hydrodynamically sheltered environments facilitating seagrass colonization, occurring 1700 and &gt; 4000 years ago. The establishment of the seagrass meadows resulted in enhancement of the quality of carbon and nitrogen stocks with increased lignin contents. Seagrass establishment also likely supported export of organic matter to surrounding unvegetated areas and thereby contributed to carbon and nitrogen accumulation beyond habitat boundaries. The findings show that the long-term carbon and nitrogen accumulation rates and permanence are shaped by land cultivation and geomorphological changes and highlights the importance of seagrass conservation for maintaining thousands of years of sedimentary carbon and nitrogen storage.","DOI":"10.1038/s41598-026-54674-y","PMID":"42191823","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-105040409244","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-60193","issue":"1","volume":"16","number":"16263","container-title":"Scientific Reports","ISSN":"2045-2322","keyword":"Blue carbon; Baltic sea; Zostera marina; Land-use; Coastal change; Paleoreconstruction","publisher":"Springer Nature","published":[{"raw":"2026-06-03T14:07:00.000+02:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2026-06-03T14:07:08.870+02:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2026-07-09T13:22:51.227+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-60193"},{"id":"diva2:2021053","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"title":"Distribution of coastal blue carbon habitats in Sweden and their exposure to anthropogenic pressure","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Braun","given":"Sara","ORCID":"0000-0002-4353-7073","localId":"sabr22","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Dahl","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0003-2016-4857","localId":"mada21","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Asplund","given":"Maria E.","ORCID":"0000-0001-9406-0976","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Ebert","given":"Karin","ORCID":"0000-0002-1030-5268","localId":"shknet17","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Björk","given":"Mats","ORCID":"0000-0003-0363-110X","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Gullström","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0002-7552-2431","localId":"magx20","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]}],"abstract":"Understanding where blue carbon habitats occur and how they are affected by human activity contributes to effective management of natural carbon sinks. Here, we compiled geographical data for Sweden to map the distribution of coastal vegetated blue carbon (BC) habitats. The mapping effort focused on well-recognised (salt marshes and seagrass meadows) and emergent BC habitats (other rooted submerged macrophytes and forested wetlands). We also estimated the exposure to anthropogenic pressures on coastal BC habitats based on their proximity to land-based human activities, and subsequently, the portion of these BC habitats that were located within protected areas. The total area of BC habitats was estimated to around 1850 km2, corresponding to ca. 35% of the Swedish coast. Seagrass meadows and other rooted submerged macrophytes were dominating, covering about 1500 km2. Around 22% of the mapped BC habitats were expected to be exposed to high pressures from land-based human activities due to their location, while BC habitats within protected areas were often less exposed. This nationwide assessment of coastal vegetated BC habitats accentuates the need for strengthening conservation prioritisation to maximise the carbon storage potential of BC habitats.","DOI":"10.1007/s13280-025-02290-x","PMID":"41335313","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-105023978936","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-58620","volume":"55","page":"875-890","container-title":"Ambio","ISSN":"1654-7209","publisher":"Springer Nature","published":[{"raw":"2025-12-12T10:37:00.000+01:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2025-12-12T10:37:11.237+01:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2026-04-14T09:40:28.081+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-58620"},{"id":"diva2:1935278","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2025]]},"title":"Evaluating seagrass lipid biomarkers as indicator for organic carbon provenance and storage capacity in Zostera marina (L.) sediments","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Dahl","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0003-2016-4857","localId":"mada21","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Asplund","given":"M. E.","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Björk","given":"M.","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Bergman","given":"S.","affiliation":[{"name":"The Arctic University of Norway, Norway"}]},{"family":"Braun","given":"Sara","ORCID":"0000-0002-4353-7073","localId":"sabr22","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Forsberg","given":"Sara","ORCID":"0000-0002-6260-776X","localId":"safo22","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Hällberg","given":"P.","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Löfgren","given":"E.","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Smittenberg","given":"R.","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden; Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Switzerland"}]},{"family":"Svensson","given":"J. R.","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Gullström","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0002-7552-2431","localId":"magx20","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]}],"abstract":"Seagrass meadows are vital blue carbon habitats, with sedimentary organic carbon (OC) originating from both the seagrass itself and external sources. In this study, lipid biomarkers (n-alkanes), a well-known proxy for tracing OC sources, were used to indicate seagrass presence in sediment records and to correlate with sedimentary OC in cold-temperate seagrass (Zostera marina) sediments. We calculated a Zostera-ratio (seagrass/algae and terrestrial plants-ratio) using identified seagrass biomass n-alkanes (C15, C17, C19, C21, C23) as a fingerprint for seagrass-derived OC. Based on the presence or absence of seagrass plant remains in sediments, we confirmed an overall significant positive correlation (R2 = 0.49, with significant sites ranging from 0.66 to 0.81; p &lt; 0.001) between the Zostera-ratio and OC in sediment profiles down to 2 m depth. The Zostera-ratio ranged from 0.0006 to 0.35 with higher values indicating seagrass plant material. The findings show that n-alkanes can serve as proxies for both seagrass presence and total OC levels in the sediment. ","DOI":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.178324","PMID":"39756295","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85213981317","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-56351","volume":"959","number":"178324","container-title":"Science of the Total Environment","ISSN":"1879-1026","keyword":"Blue carbon; Carbon sources; Eelgrass; n-Alkanes; Skagerrak; Biomarkers; Carbon; Environmental Monitoring; Geologic Sediments; Lipids; Water Pollutants; Chemical; Zosteraceae; Atlantic Ocean; North Sea; Plant diseases; alkane; biological marker; lignin; lipid; organic carbon; Carbon source; Lipid biomarkers; Organics; Seagrasses; Zostera; Zostera marina; biomarker; marine sediment; seagrass; seagrass meadow; Article; biomass; controlled study; eutrophication; habitat; microbial diversity; nonhuman; plant; sediment; storage; chemistry; procedures; water pollutant; Biotic","publisher":"Elsevier","note":"Article; Export Date: 05 February 2025; Cited By: 0; Correspondence Address: M. Dahl; School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, Huddinge, Sweden; email: martin.dahl@sh.se; CODEN: STEVA","published":[{"raw":"2025-02-06T12:20:57.506+01:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2025-02-06T12:20:57.567+01:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-10-07T16:09:54.154+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-56351"},{"id":"diva2:2009853","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2025]]},"title":"In-situ measurements reveal alkalinity release from cold-temperate seagrass meadows","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Scott-Askin","given":"Samuel","ORCID":"0009-0008-5153-3428","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Santos","given":"Isaac R.","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Southern Cross University, Australia"}]},{"family":"Albert","given":"Gerli","ORCID":"0000-0002-4247-3012","localId":"geal24","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Tartu, Estonia"},{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Asplund","given":"Maria E.","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Deyanova","given":"Diana","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Forsberg","given":"Sara C.","ORCID":"0000-0002-6260-776X","localId":"safo22","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Ricart","given":"Aurora M.","affiliation":[{"name":"Institut de Ciències Del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Spain"}]},{"family":"Gullström","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0002-7552-2431","localId":"magx20","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Björk","given":"Mats","ORCID":"0000-0003-0363-110X","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Reithmaier","given":"Gloroa M. S.","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]}],"abstract":"Understanding the carbon sequestration potential of blue carbon ecosystems is important to inform climate policies and to guide restoration and protection efforts. Alkalinity generation is an often overlooked carbon sequestration mechanism, especially in seagrass meadows. Here, we quantified total alkalinity (TA) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) fluxes in two cold-temperate Zostera marina seagrass meadows in Sweden using 24-h in-situ chamber incubations at the end of the high-productivity season. The seagrass meadows were similar net sources of TA (16 ± 45 mmol m−2 d−1 in Smalsund, 17 ± 16 mmol m−2 d−1 in Bökevik), whereas DIC fluxes were highly variable (34 ± 59 mmol m−2 d−1 in Smalsund, −43 ± 35 mmol m−2 d−1 in Bökevik). Fluxes followed a diurnal cycle consistent with photosynthesis-respiration cycles. As a result, seagrass meadows ameliorated ocean acidification locally during the day, but not during the night. The large CO&lt;inf&gt;2&lt;/inf&gt; uptake provided higher buffering levels compared to mangroves and saltmarshes. The TA fluxes were comparable to those reported for Mediterranean and tropical seagrass meadows, but 16-times lower than in mangrove forests and 5-times lower than in saltmarshes. Alkalinity generation in these cold-temperate seagrasses exceeded soil organic carbon stocks accumulation by fourfold, potentially contributing to their carbon sequestration potential and warranting inclusion in seagrass meadow carbon budgets.","DOI":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109550","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-105016853613","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-58333","volume":"326","number":"109550","container-title":"Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science","ISSN":"1096-0015","keyword":"Benthic chamber; Blue carbon; Coastal carbon; Eelgrass; Porewater; Primary production; alkalinity; carbon sequestration; dissolved inorganic carbon; meadow; ocean acidification; seagrass meadow; Sweden","publisher":"Elsevier","published":[{"raw":"2025-10-29T09:39:00.000+01:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2025-10-29T09:39:02.619+01:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-10-29T12:40:34.093+01:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-58333"},{"id":"diva2:1980178","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2025]]},"title":"Shallow Coastal Bays as Sediment Carbon and Nutrient Reservoirs in the Baltic Sea","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Gubri","given":"B.","ORCID":"0009-0002-7792-8387","affiliation":[{"name":"Åbo Akademi University, Finland; Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Hansen","given":"J. P.","ORCID":"0000-0001-9179-4499","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Wikström","given":"S. A.","ORCID":"0000-0003-3508-2109","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Snickars","given":"M.","ORCID":"0000-0001-9168-7474","affiliation":[{"name":"Åbo Akademi University, Finland"}]},{"family":"Dahl","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0003-2016-4857","localId":"mada21","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Gullström","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0002-7552-2431","localId":"magx20","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Rydin","given":"E.","ORCID":"0000-0002-2566-8547","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm Univeristy, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Masqué","given":"P.","affiliation":[{"name":"Edith Cowan University, Australia; International Atomic Energy Agency, Monaco"}]},{"family":"Garbaras","given":"A.","ORCID":"0000-0002-3105-8059","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Lithuania"}]},{"family":"Björk","given":"M.","ORCID":"0000-0003-0363-110X","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Boström","given":"C.","ORCID":"0000-0003-2845-8331","affiliation":[{"name":"Åbo Akademi University, Finland"}]}],"abstract":"Coastal vegetated ecosystems are being increasingly recognized for their capacity to capture carbon, provide long-term biogenic storage, and alleviate nutrient pollution. To assess the ability of shallow, vegetated coastal bays to function as blue carbon and nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) sinks, we collected sediment cores in nine shallow enclosed bays (representative of the EU Habitats 1153 and 1154) in the archipelago areas of Sweden (Stockholm), Åland Island, and southwestern Finland. Our study showed strong uniformity of carbon and nutrient storage, substantial accumulation of carbon and nutrients, and minimal regional differences in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus sediment stocks. These findings are noteworthy given the large area (142 km2) the shallow enclosed bays cover and the multiple important ecosystem services they provide in the northern Baltic Sea seascape. An initial first-order estimate for the shallow bay ecosystems across the study region indicates that these ecosystems potentially store 84,000 to 430,000 t organic carbon over the top 25 cm sediment. The positive correlation between carbon and nitrogen stocks, and the potentially organically bound nature of phosphorus in sediment, suggests that climate regulation services can be managed in unison with nutrient management efforts. The findings, also considering the consistent pattern of slow sedimentation and accumulation, underscore the importance of protecting shallow coastal bays as carbon and nutrient sinks in the Baltic Sea region.","DOI":"10.1007/s12237-025-01541-0","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-105008772520","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-57737","issue":"5","volume":"48","number":"136","container-title":"Estuaries and Coasts","ISSN":"1559-2731","keyword":"Blue carbon; Carbon and nutrient sinks; Sedimentary stocks; Sequestration rates; Shallow enclosed bays; Atlantic Ocean; Baltic Sea; Finland; Stockholm; archipelago; bay; carbon sequestration; carbon sink; coastal zone; ecosystem service; nutrient; organic carbon; sedimentary rock; sedimentation rate","publisher":"Springer Nature","published":[{"raw":"2025-07-01T15:37:00.000+02:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2025-07-01T15:37:02.010+02:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-10-07T15:51:58.711+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-57737"},{"id":"diva2:1847656","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2024]]},"title":"A 2,000-Year Record of Eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) : Colonization Shows Substantial Gains in Blue Carbon Storage and Nutrient Retention","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Dahl","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0003-2016-4857","localId":"mada21","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Gullström","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0002-7552-2431","localId":"magx20","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Bernabeu","given":"I.","affiliation":[{"name":"Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEAB‐CSIC), Spain"}]},{"family":"Serrano","given":"O.","affiliation":[{"name":"Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEAB‐CSIC),Spain, Edith Cowan University, Australia"}]},{"family":"Leiva-Dueñas","given":"C.","affiliation":[{"name":"Aarhus University, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Linderholm","given":"H. W.","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Asplund","given":"M. E.","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Björk","given":"M.","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Ou","given":"T.","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Svensson","given":"J. R.","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Andrén","given":"Elinor","ORCID":"0000-0002-6763-1697","localId":"sheran04","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Andrén","given":"Thomas","ORCID":"0000-0001-5615-6088","localId":"shtsan06","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Bergman","given":"S.","affiliation":[{"name":"UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Norway"}]},{"family":"Braun","given":"Sara","ORCID":"0000-0002-4353-7073","localId":"sabr22","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Eklöf","given":"A.","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Ežerinskis","given":"Z.","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Lithuania"}]},{"family":"Garbaras","given":"A.","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Lithuania"}]},{"family":"Hällberg","given":"P.","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Löfgren","given":"E.","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Kylander","given":"M. E.","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Masqué","given":"P.","affiliation":[{"name":"Edith Cowan University, Australia, PrincipalityofMonaco,Monaco"}]},{"family":"Šapolaitė","given":"J.","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Lithuania"}]},{"family":"Smittenberg","given":"R.","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden, Principality of Monaco, Monaco"}]},{"family":"Mateo","given":"M. A.","affiliation":[{"name":"Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEAB‐CSIC), Spain, Edith Cowan University, Australia"}]}],"abstract":"Assessing historical environmental conditions linked to habitat colonization is important for understanding long-term resilience and improving conservation and restoration efforts. Such information is lacking for the seagrass Zostera marina, an important foundation species across cold-temperate coastal areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Here, we reconstructed environmental conditions during the last 14,000 years from sediment cores in two eelgrass (Z. marina) meadows along the Swedish west coast, with the main aims to identify the time frame of seagrass colonization and describe subsequent biogeochemical changes following establishment. Based on vegetation proxies (lipid biomarkers), eelgrass colonization occurred about 2,000 years ago after geomorphological changes that resulted in a shallow, sheltered environment favoring seagrass growth. Seagrass establishment led to up to 20- and 24-fold increases in sedimentary carbon and nitrogen accumulation rates, respectively. This demonstrates the capacity of seagrasses as efficient ecosystem engineers and their role in global change mitigation and adaptation through CO2 removal, and nutrient and sediment retention. By combining regional climate projections and landscape models, we assessed potential climate change effects on seagrass growth, productivity and distribution until 2100. These predictions showed that seagrass meadows are mostly at risk from increased sedimentation and hydrodynamic changes, while the impact from sea level rise alone might be of less importance in the studied area. This study showcases the positive feedback between seagrass colonization and environmental conditions, which holds promise for successful conservation and restoration efforts aimed at supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the provision of several other crucial ecosystem services. © 2024. The Authors.","DOI":"10.1029/2023GB008039","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85187910776","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-53746","issue":"3","volume":"38","number":"e2023GB008039","container-title":"Global Biogeochemical Cycles","ISSN":"1944-9224","keyword":"climate change; environmental change; millennial scale; nature-based solution; paleoreconstruction; seagrass; environmental conditions; global change; regional climate; sea level change; sedimentation","publisher":"John Wiley & Sons","published":[{"raw":"2024-03-28T12:04:00.000+01:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2024-03-28T12:04:00.949+01:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-12-18T13:41:57.950+01:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-53746"},{"id":"diva2:1748702","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2023]]},"title":"First assessment of seagrass carbon accumulation rates in Sweden : A field study from a fjord system at the Skagerrak coast","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Dahl","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0003-2016-4857","localId":"mada21","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain"},{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Asplund","given":"Maria E.","ORCID":"0000-0001-9406-0976","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Bergman","given":"Sanne","ORCID":"0000-0002-1055-8505","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Björk","given":"Mats","ORCID":"0000-0003-0363-110X","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Braun","given":"Sara","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Löfgren","given":"Elin","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Martí","given":"Elisa","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Cadiz, Spain"}]},{"family":"Masque","given":"Pere","ORCID":"0000-0002-1789-320X","affiliation":[{"name":"Edith Cowan University, Australia; IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories, Principality of Monaco, Monaco"}]},{"family":"Svensson","given":"Robin","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Gullström","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0002-7552-2431","localId":"magx20","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]}],"abstract":"Seagrass meadows are globally important blue carbon sinks. In northern cold-temperate regions, eelgrass (<i>Zostera marina</i>) is the dominant seagrass species, and although their sedimentary carbon stocks have been quantified across regions, information regarding the CO<sub>2</sub> withdrawal capacity as carbon sinks remains scarce. Here we assessed the carbon (C<sub>org</sub>) accumulation rates (CARs) and stocks as well as the organic matter sources in five seagrass meadows in the Gullmar Fjord area on the Swedish Skagerrak coast. We found that the mean (±SD) CAR was 14 ± 3 g C<sub>org</sub> m<sup>-2</sup> yr<sup>-1</sup> over the last ~120–140 years (corresponding to a yearly uptake of 52.4 ± 12.6 g CO2 m<sup>-2</sup>). The carbon sink capacity is in line with other Z. <i>marina areas</i> but relatively low compared to other seagrass species and regions globally. About half of the sedimentary carbon accumulation (7.1 ± 3.3 g C<sub>org</sub> m<sup>-2</sup> yr<sup>-1</sup>) originated from macroalgae biomass, which highlights the importance of non-seagrass derived material for the carbon sink function of seagrass meadows in the area. The C<sub>org </sub>stocks were similar among sites when comparing at a standardized depth of 50 cm (4.6–5.9 kg C<sub>org</sub> m<sup>-2</sup>), but showed large variation when assessed for the total extent of the cores (ranging from 0.7 to 20.6 kg C<sub>org</sub> m<sup>-2</sup> for sediment depths of 11 to at least 149 cm). The low sediment accretion rates (1.18–1.86 mm yr<sup>-1</sup>) and the relatively thick sediment deposits (with a maximum of &gt;150 cm of sediment depth) suggests that the carbon stocks have likely been accumulated for an extended period of time, and that the documented loss of seagrass meadows in the Swedish Skagerrak region and associated erosion of the sediment could potentially have offset centuries of carbon sequestration.","DOI":"10.1371/journal.pclm.0000099","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85187884395","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-51277","issue":"1","volume":"2","number":"e0000099","container-title":"PLOS Climate","ISSN":"2767-3200","publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","note":"Funder:Albert och Maria Bergström foundationBolin Centre for climate research","published":[{"raw":"2023-04-04T10:11:00.000+02:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2023-04-04T10:11:10.233+02:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2026-04-13T16:34:26.540+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-51277"},{"id":"diva2:1681894","type":"review","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2022]]},"title":"Nordic Blue Carbon Ecosystems : Status and Outlook","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Krause-Jensen","given":"Dorte","ORCID":"0000-0001-9792-256X","affiliation":[{"name":"Aarhus University, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Gundersen","given":"Hege","affiliation":[{"name":"Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Norway"}]},{"family":"Björk","given":"Mats","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockholm University, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Gullström","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0002-7552-2431","localId":"magx20","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Dahl","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0003-2016-4857","localId":"mada21","affiliation":[{"id":"11837","name":"Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap"}]},{"family":"Asplund","given":"Maria E.","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Gothenburg, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Boström","given":"Christoffer","affiliation":[{"name":"Åbo Akademi University, Finland"}]},{"family":"Holmer","given":"Marianne","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Southern Denmark, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Banta","given":"Gary T.","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Southern Denmark, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Graversen","given":"Anna Elizabeth Lovgren","affiliation":[{"name":"Aarhus University, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Pedersen","given":"Morten Foldager","affiliation":[{"name":"Roskilde University, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Bekkby","given":"Trine","affiliation":[{"name":"Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Norway"}]},{"family":"Frigstad","given":"Helene","affiliation":[{"name":"Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Norway"}]},{"family":"Skjellum","given":"Solrun Figenschau","affiliation":[{"name":"Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Norway"}]},{"family":"Thormar","given":"Jonas","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Marine Research, Norway"}]},{"family":"Gyldenkærne","given":"Steen","affiliation":[{"name":"Aarhus University, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Howard","given":"Jennifer","affiliation":[{"name":"Conservation International, Arlington, USA"}]},{"family":"Pidgeon","given":"Emily","affiliation":[{"name":"Conservation International, Arlington, USA"}]},{"family":"Ragnarsdottir","given":"Sunna Björk","affiliation":[{"name":"Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Iceland"}]},{"family":"Mols-Mortensen","given":"Agnes","affiliation":[{"name":"TARI Faroe Seaweed, Faroe Islands; Fiskaaling, Faroe Islands"}]},{"family":"Hancke","given":"Kasper","affiliation":[{"name":"Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Norway"}]}],"abstract":"Vegetated coastal and marine habitats in the Nordic region include salt marshes, eelgrass meadows and, in particular, brown macroalgae (kelp forests and rockweed beds). Such habitats contribute to storage of organic carbon (Blue Carbon - BC) and support coastal protection, biodiversity and water quality. Protection and restoration of these habitats therefore have the potential to deliver climate change mitigation and co-benefits. Here we present the existing knowledge on Nordic BC habitats in terms of habitat area, C-stocks and sequestration rates, co-benefits, policies and management status to inspire a coherent Nordic BC roadmap. The area extent of BC habitats in the region is incompletely assessed, but available information sums up to 1,440 km(2) salt marshes, 1,861 (potentially 2,735) km(2) seagrass meadows, and 16,532 km(2) (potentially 130,735 km(2), including coarse Greenland estimates) brown macroalgae, yielding a total of 19,833 (potentially 134,910) km(2). Saltmarshes and seagrass meadows have experienced major declines over the past century, while macroalgal trends are more diverse. Based on limited salt marsh data, sediment C-stocks average 3,311 g C-org m(-2) (top 40-100 cm) and sequestration rates average 142 g C-org m(-2) yr(-1). Eelgrass C-stocks average 2,414 g C-org m(-2) (top 25 cm) and initial data for sequestration rates range 5-33 g C-org m(-2), quantified for one Greenland site and one short term restoration. For Nordic brown macroalgae, peer-reviewed estimates of sediment C-stock and sequestration are lacking. Overall, the review reveals substantial Nordic BC-stocks, but highlights that evidence is still insufficient to provide a robust estimate of all Nordic BC-stocks and sequestration rates. Needed are better quantification of habitat area, C-stocks and fluxes, particularly for macroalgae, as well as identification of target areas for BC management. The review also points to directives and regulations protecting Nordic marine vegetation, and local restoration initiatives with potential to increase C-sequestration but underlines that increased coordination at national and Nordic scales and across sectors is needed. We propose a Nordic BC roadmap for science and management to maximize the potential of BC habitats to mitigate climate change and support coastal protection, biodiversity and additional ecosystem functions.","DOI":"10.3389/fmars.2022.847544","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85132270602","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-49532","volume":"9","number":"847544","container-title":"Frontiers in Marine Science","ISSN":"2296-7745","keyword":"eelgrass; salt marsh; macroalgae; area distribution; carbon stock; carbon sequestration; ecosystem services; management","publisher":"Frontiers Media S.A.","published":[{"raw":"2022-07-07T15:18:00.000+02:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2022-07-07T15:18:02.351+02:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-10-07T17:53:45.015+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-49532"}],"links":[{"type":"pid","link":"https://su.diva-portal.org/smash/api/project/swecris/project:2958"}]}]