MAR28 - Macrophytes along Arctic coastlines: Blue carbon and ecosystem services - sponsored by the Canadian Museum of Nature

Seaweeds and seagrasses are habitat forming species and provide various ecosystem services along coastlines of circumpolar regions. Their structure and productivity sustains a large diversity of invertebrates and fish, while their capacity to capture and sequester organic matter holds potential for mitigating climate change. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the status of Arctic coastal macrophytes and their distribution and functions now and in the future. 

This session aims to facilitate knowledge exchange on research efforts to assess Arctic coastal seaweed and seagrass ecosystems. We welcome submissions across disciplines and spatio-temporal scales, from observational, experimental, remote sensing, molecular and modelling studies. Topics of interest include physical processes at the land-ice-ocean interface, estimates of primary productivity and associated biodiversity, ecosystem services provided by seaweeds and seagrasses, as well as socio-economic aspects of Blue Carbon development in the Arctic. 

Co-Chairs: Amanda Savoie, Canadian Museum of Nature 

Daniela Walch, Université du Québec à Rimouski  

Khashiff Miranda, Université Laval 

Camille Lavoie, Université Laval