With the pressing need to reduce climate change impacts on socio-ecological systems, it is crucial to understand carbon cycling in 'blue carbon' coastal ecosystems. Our research contributes to the growing body of work investigating how to best harness coastal ecosystems as natural climate solutions.

See below for project summaries addressing the overarching themes we're pursuing: 
Management and enhancement of coastal wetland carbon cycling
Plant-mediated carbon cycling

Management and enhancement of coastal wetland carbon cycling

​​Lower Joice Island Management. This project, funded by the Long Foundation and led by California Waterfowl Association, tests if management decisions (hydrologic regime, prescribed fire, plant community) in seasonal managed brackish wetlands can maximize carbon sequestration by increasing soil carbon storage and/or reducing methane emission in Suisun Marsh, CA, USA. Data collection and analyses are ongoing.  

White Slough Restoration. This project, funded by the California State Coastal Conservancy, tests how carbon cycling develops after tidal wetland restoration in a high-salinity (>30 psu) setting in Humboldt Bay, CA, USA. The project also tests how land use influences carbon cycling, including fully tidal and diked wetlands. Data collection and analyses are ongoing.  
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Dutch Slough Restoration. This project, funded by the California Department of Water Resources, tests how carbon cycling develops after tidal wetland restoration in a low-salinity (<2 psu) setting in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, CA, USA. The project also tests how land use influences carbon cycling, including fully tidal and diked wetlands. Data collection and analyses are ongoing. A manuscript focused on greenhouse gas fluxes is in prep.  

Plant-mediated carbon cycling

LUMCON Experimental Diel Cycle. This experiment tested how the diel cycle, separate from tidal influence, controls plant-mediated greenhouse gas fluxes in an experimental salt marsh mesocosm facility at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium in coastal LA, USA. A manuscript detailing this experiment is in prep. ​

WARC Experimental Climate Change. This experiment tested how increased atmospheric CO2 and sea-level rise influence salt marsh carbon stocks, decomposition rates, and greenhouse gas fluxes. This was carried out at the USGS Elevation CO2 Facility in Lafayette, LA, USA. The resulting manuscript was published in JGR: Biogeosciences (Jones et al. 2018).