Blue carbon sequestration and storage potential has increased in seagrass sediments from Northern Morocco

Abstract Driven by the essential role of blue carbon ecosystems in mitigating climate change and by scarce regional data, here we aim to quantify carbon sequestration rates and storage in a Moroccan coastal vegetated ecosystem over time using nuclear approaches. The carbon stocks recorded over the past 60 years ranged from 1.35 to 11.07 Mg C org ha −1 in Merja Kahla and from 3.55 to 54.48 Mg C org ha −1 and from 3.57 to 104.58 Mg C org ha −1 in two cores from Merja Zerga. The highest carbon accumulation rates were observed in the top 5 cm of sediment cores, ranging from 14.60 to 53.08 g OC m −2 yr −1 , suggesting a noticeable increase in recent years. These findings highlight the need to integrate blue carbon ecosystems into national policies as nature-based solutions for mitigating climate change and for enhancing the management and conservation of coastal and marine resources threatened by human activities.