Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Oberle, Brad

Area of Concentration

Environmental Studies

Abstract

Coastal ecosystems provide key services, such as carbon storage, but compete with development in natural areas. For this reason, increasing their value requires restoring coastal habitats that have been degraded. After the ecosystem has been restored, a goal is that it will start to store more carbon in its soils over time. Specifically, in this thesis I sought to see if litter mass and decomposition change over time in restored habitats, and if litter mass and decomposition change between restored and disturbed habitats. By using the Tea Bag Index, and analyzing the litter fall in respective disturbed and restored habitats in Manatee county, I was able to compare the litter carbon pools by preserve age and by habitat type. I used these methods in four preserves of different ages in Manatee County, and at one currently degraded site, Tidy Island. There was no statistically significant difference between the litter accumulation or decomposition between restored and disturbed sites. And there was no statistically significant difference between the litter of the preserves by age. However, the analysis did show that there is a trend for older preserves to have less litter decomposition, which means there is a potential trend for the older preserves to be storing and sequestering more carbon. There are many compelling questions that come out of this research that could lead to interesting future studies.

Download

Share

COinS