Eelgrass (Zostera marina) can be found in the Long Island South Shore Estuary.  The seagrass canopy (made up of the leaves of the plants) soaks up CO2 from the water column as it photosynthesizes. Credit: Kaitlyn O’Toole

New York State’s coastal ecosystems play an important role in the carbon cycle. Carbon dioxide generated by the burning of fossil fuels does not just stay in the atmosphere – it also enters the ocean. An increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the ocean results in ocean acidification, which threatens the health of organisms that use carbonate to build their shells and skeletons. Organisms that use light for energy, or do photosynthesis, can take up carbon dioxide and convert it to organic carbon. When that carbon remains stored, or sequestered, it is known as Blue Carbon. Blue carbon removes carbon from the cycle and can mitigate climate change. Long Island’s underwater seagrass meadows are ecologically important, in part because they are efficient at storing carbon.

New York Sea Grant has funded research related to ocean acidification and carbon sequestration. Learn more about the ongoing research projects here: New York Sea Grant Research: 2023 Ongoing Projects.