Application of structural equation modelling to study complex "blue carbon" cycling in mangrove ecosystems

Anirban Akhand; Hongbin Liu; Anupam Ghosh; Abhra Chanda; Rajarshi Dasgupta; Shillpi Mishrra; Peter I Macreadie

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.117290

Application of structural equation modelling to study complex "blue carbon" cycling in mangrove ecosystems

Mar Pollut Bull. 2024 Nov 19;209(Pt B):117290. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.117290. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Anirban Akhand¹, Hongbin Liu², Anupam Ghosh³, Abhra Chanda⁴, Rajarshi Dasgupta⁵, Shillpi Mishrra⁶, Peter I Macreadie⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Blue Carbon Lab, Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre, Deakin University, Burwood campus, 221 Burwood Hwy, VIC 3125, Australia; Centre for Nature Positive Solutions, Biosciences and Food Technology Discipline, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia. Electronic address: aakhand@ust.hk.
² Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
³ Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Netaji Subhash Engineering College, Technocity, Panchpota, Garia, Kolkata 700152, West Bengal, India.
⁴ School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India.
⁵ School of Public Policy, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, IIT Campus, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, Delhi 110016, India.
⁶ Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Techno India University, EM Block, Sector V, Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700091, West Bengal, India.
⁷ Blue Carbon Lab, Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre, Deakin University, Burwood campus, 221 Burwood Hwy, VIC 3125, Australia; Centre for Nature Positive Solutions, Biosciences and Food Technology Discipline, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia.

PMID: 39566140
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.117290

Abstract

Blue carbon cycling in mangrove ecosystems is proving to be more complex than previously thought. The objective of this study was the application of structural equation modelling (SEM) to capture such complex and varying data types and provide a holistic understanding of mangrove blue carbon cycling using data from the Indian Sundarban as a test case. We found that SEM was effective at integrating multiple data types and characterizing the processes and variables that regulate the nature and magnitude of CO₂ fluxes within a mangrove ecosystem, including atmosphere-hydrosphere, atmosphere-pedosphere, and net ecosystem exchange. Overall, this study finds that atmospheric, water, and soil temperatures were the main and common drivers of CO₂ effluxes towards the atmosphere from the entire ecosystem, waterbodies, and soils of mangrove ecosystems, respectively. We conclude that SEM is useful for combining data from different sources, gaining an overarching view of the complex biogeochemical cycling of the blue carbon ecosystems.

Keywords: Atmosphere–hydrosphere; Atmosphere–pedosphere; Blue carbon; CO(2) fluxes; Mangrove ecosystem; Net ecosystem exchange.