Coastal vegetated ecosystems such as mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and tidal marshes sequester large amounts of carbon in their sediment and are identified as both i) key players in the carbon cycle and ii) potentially important as a nature-based solution to climate change (Blue Carbon). This is an addition to the many other relevant ecosystem services they provide, such as nutrient cycling, support of fisheries and biodiversity and coastal protection.

During the last decade there has been an increasing growth of studies devoted to assessing the stocks and burial rates of carbon in this kind of habitats worldwide. Also, and in parallel, there has been plenty of initiatives related to their inclusion in Nationally Determined Contributions. However, the evaluation of the contribution of these ecosystems to climate mitigation and adaptation is not as easy as it would seem, due to the existence of several questions yet to be resolved. For instance, and to mention a few, the lack of data for many parts of the world; the need to assess processes such as lateral exchange and gas exchange; or the role of carbonates formation and dissolution.

The aim of this course is to train early-career scientists interested on working on Blue Carbon with the key concepts involved when planning a research study, including designing and conducting the field work, preparation of the samples, carrying out the required analyses, and interpreting and scaling up the results. This will be accompanied by critical reflections on the challenges and open questions to promote discussion and advances on the subject.