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Figure 9

Estimated areas

of highest concentration

of Blue Carbon co-

benefits arising from Blue

Carbon and candidate and

associated ecosystems

on the condition of the ecosystem but

also its functional linkages to associated

ecosystems.

For mangrove forests to continue

to provide nursery grounds for

commercially and recreationally

important fish populations, the two-way

linkages between mangrove and offshore

ecosystems such as seagrass beds, coral

reefs and offshore landform features

must be maintained. Similarly, offshore

systems such as coral reefs create

the sheltered conditions necessary for

inshore systems such as seagrasses to

thrive; while mangroves and salt marsh

act to trap sediments and nutrients that

might smother or degrade seagrasses.

When marine and coastal spatial planning

is undertaken or updated in Abu Dhabi,

it will therefore be important to consider

the full suite of services, their values, and

the impacts that human activities in any

sector will have on continued delivery

of these services. This is especially true

as climate change adds to the spectre

of cumulative impacts, and threatens to

undermine the resilience of all marine

and coastal ecosystems, in the Emirate

and in the Arabian Gulf region.

Areas of potentially high ecosystem service value

0

25

50

75

100

12.5

Km

Ecosystem Extent (ha)

Seagrass 158,000

Saltmarsh 4,000

Algal mat 10,000

candidateBlueCarbonecosystem

Mangrove 14,000

Coastal Sabkha 389,000

associatedBlueCarbonecosystem

Slender Billed Gull: © AGEDI / Xavier Eichaker

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