The Impact of Beach Wrack on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Coastal Soils
2025
Olga Nesterova | Mariia Bovsun | Andrei Egorin | Andrey Yatsuk | Dmitry Kravchenko | Irina Lisina | Igor Stepochkin | Anastasia Brikmans
The existing management strategies of macrophyte beach wrack are not always environmentally sound. In this study, we tried to assess the impact of the presence or absence of macrophyte beach wrack on the CO2 flux and the possibility of creating an environmentally sound recycling of macrophyte beach wrack based on their removal from the beach and processing into biochar. The study was conducted on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the bay of Kievka. The Picarro G4301 portable laser gas analyzer was used to measure CO2 fluxes in areas with and without macrophyte beach wrack. The CO2 flux was 23 times higher at plots with macrophyte beach wrack, compared with plots without macrophyte beach wrack. In the plots after manual removal of the macrophyte beach wrack, on average, there was a 1.6-fold decrease in flow values compared to the plots with the macrophyte beach wrack. Considering the frequency of emissions in the study area, which is associated with frequent cyclones and storms, it is possible to organize the systematic cleaning of macrophyte beach wrack for the production of biochar. Creating projects based on the conversion of macrophyte beach wrack into biochar can have both environmental and economic benefits. The environmental benefits include the reduction of CO2 flux at plots after manual removal of macrophyte beach wrack: the long-term storage of carbon from macrophyte beach wrack biomass in the form of biochar: and the reduction of CO2 flux from soils (carbon sequestration) with the correct technology of introducing biochar into the soil. However, for a more accurate assessment, monitoring seasonal measurements and economic calculations of the entire technological chain of production, risks, and footprint are necessary.
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