Mangroves
Coastal swamps and mangroves sequester massive amounts of carbon in their soils. Yet the full extent of these carbon stores are yet to be mapped. Understanding the stability of these carbon stores and the mechanisms by which carbon is sequestered and released is vital for understanding how mangroves can contribute to climate mitigation efforts. The world is moving towards monetizing blue carbon, yet, we still lack data on the amount of carbon stored and the dynamics of this carbon, especially in the tropics.
The Collin Lab is working to help measure how much carbon is held in Panama's mangrove ecosystems. We are embarking on projects to understand the role of environmental conditions and invertebrate diversity in the blue carbon cycle.
The Collin Lab is working to help measure how much carbon is held in Panama's mangrove ecosystems. We are embarking on projects to understand the role of environmental conditions and invertebrate diversity in the blue carbon cycle.
Tania Romero collecting samples from a sediment core to measure blue carbon (left). Thriving red mangroves on Bocas del Toro (right).
Mapping the mangroves of Panama
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How fast does organic matter breakdown?
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Yonathan Viquez is using Google Earth Engine to create the first 10m resolution mangrove map of Panama. This resolution helps to detect small mangrove islands and narrow fringes typical of the Caribbean coast. He hopes to pursue his interest in mapping in graduate school.
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Estefania Espinosa, a student at UMIP in Panama City, is using teabags to compare decomposition rates at different sites and during different seasons. This experiment is her undergraduate thesis project.
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