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Marine vertebrate carbon services, termed ‘Fish Carbon’, consist of eight different
biological carbon cycling mechanisms (Figure 2). Traditionally thought to contribute
minimally to the oceanic carbon cycle, Fish Carbon pathways are not included in current
carbon cycle models, aside from an implicit connection with plankton (Steele and
Henderson 1992, Ohman
et al.
2002).
MARINE VERTEBRATE CARBON SERVICES
The Fish Carbon mechanisms described in this report
demonstrate that, in healthy marine ecosystems, marine
vertebrates facilitate uptake of atmospheric carbon into the ocean
and transport carbon from the ocean surface to deep waters
and sediment, thus providing a vital link in the process of long
term carbon sequestration. Fish Carbon additionally provides
a natural buffer against ocean acidification through the Bony
Fish Carbonate mechanism. As such, Fish Carbon potentially
lends itself to the global climate challenge in mitigation of both
atmospheric and oceanic impacts of climate change.
The ecosystem-based mechanisms presented here, largely
built on recent scientific research, provide a framework for
future scientific endeavour; understanding the scale of Fish
Carbon relative to the carbon flux associated with plankton
and microbes, and interactions between these, is a key next
step. However, these Fish Carbon mechanisms also permit
innovative policy and management action based on the
best available scientific information and the precautionary
principle; an approach called for in the management of
marine resources and in climate change policy (FAO 1995,
United Nations 1995, Kunreuther
et al.
2013, FAO 2014).
The eight Fish Carbon mechanisms, and the implications of
broader marine policy on their success, are described in the
following sections.
Figure 2. A conceptual diagram of marine vertebrate carbon
services
(not to scale) (building on Barber 2007, Roman and
McCarthy 2010, Wilmers
et al.
2012, Heithaus
et al.
2014). See
following text for further explanation of the 8 different services.