The microbial role in carbon cycling within seagrass sediments

Abstract

Seagrasses are an important feature of coastal systems worldwide, capable of fixing significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into cellular material, potentially helping to alleviate rising carbon dioxide levels. However, the capacity of seagrass beds to act as carbon sinks is largely dependent on the amount of organic matter accumulated within the sediments following transformations by the microbial community. The microbial role in carbon cycling within seagrass sediments has been poorly researched, most likely because the importance of marine microbes in ocean cycling processes was only recently recognized, due to key advancements in molecular biology. This review examines carbon sources within seagrass sediments, their utilization by the microbial community, and their ultimate fates, in order to elucidate current understanding of carbon cycling in seagrass sediments. Future research should incorporate molecular techniques to further establish the microbial role in carbon cycling within seagrass sediments, and ultimately ascertain the capacity of seagrass beds to act as sinks of organic matter.