New technology has been installed to track how much carbon is being taken out of the atmosphere by Scotland's largest saltmarsh. The flux tower has been put in place at Caerlaverock on the Solway Firth. About 85% of UK saltmarshes have been lost since the mid-19th Century as land has been reclaimed from the sea for agriculture, development or coastal flood defences, degraded through pollution or eroded by rising sea levels.
Corallie Hunt, coastal habitats adviser for NatureScot, said the installation of the first saltmarsh flux tower in Scotland marked an "important milestone". The project is a partnership between UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), the Scottish government, NatureScot, and WWF-UK. "By measuring carbon exchange in real time, it will strengthen our understanding of the carbon storage potential of saltmarshes and the value of protecting and restoring these habitats," said Hunt.
UKCEH wetland scientist Annette Burden said the Solway flux tower was the most northerly addition to a network around the UK coast. "The data collected will aid in understanding the role saltmarsh plays in climate mitigation, provide evidence for saltmarsh inclusion in the UK Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory, which in turn will strengthen calls to safeguard and restore this valuable habitat," she said. What stories would you like BBC News to cover from the south of Scotland?
In addition to supporting biodiversity and providing natural flood protection, the plants covering the marshes draw down carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and can also trap carbon-rich sediments in their roots and stems on the incoming tide. Tom Brook, ocean conservation specialist at WWF said: "The Solway is an extraordinary place for nature. "From thousands of migratory birds that depend on these wetlands to the rare natterjack toad, the saltmarsh supports an incredible variety of wildlife.
"It's also working hard for people too – helping to absorb wave energy and reduce the impacts of flooding and storm surges. "The data gathered by the tower will help us better understand and champion the value of these remarkable coastal habitats." UK's muddy saltmarshes vital to tackle climate change, report finds
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