As nature-based approaches for the mitigation of climate change are increasingly seen as part of the solution, blue carbon has recently been receiving greater international attention. This has stimulated renewed interest in better management, conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems including mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, tidal salt marshes, and seaweed beds for the purpose of climate change mitigation. However, a number of gaps still exist in our scientific knowledge on coastal biodiversity, which are critical to developing blue carbon projects for the international carbon market.

Carbon Sequestration by Coastal Floral Community focuses on some of these important issues. Apart from standardizing ecological approach in estimating blue carbon in various vegetation compartments, this book also presents a few important case studies, which serve as the basics of hands-on-scientific training in estimating the magnitude of stored carbon in mangroves, salt marsh, seagrass, seaweeds and phytoplankton. The influence of salinity, nutrients and several relevant hydrological parameters on the rate of blue carbon sequestration has also been critically analysed.

Table of Contents:
1. The Blue Soup of The Planet Earth 1.1 Marine and Estuarine Environment: An Overview 1.2 Physico-Chemical Variables of Coastal Zone 1.3 Biodiversity of The Blue Soup 2. Carbon Dioxide Reservoir in the Planet Earth 2.1 Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide 2.2 Carbon Dioxide Reservoir of the Blue Soup 2.3 Carbon Pool in Coastal Vegetation A2 Phytoplankton Cell Volume and Diversity in Indian Sundarbans A2.1 Introduction A2.2 Materials and Methods A2.4 Conclusion 3. Mangrove Community 3.1 Overview of Mangroves 3.2 Carbon Sequestration by Mangrove Vegetation 3.3 Carbon Sequestration by Mangrove Soil 4. Seagrass and Saltmarsh Grass Community 4.1 Introduction to Seagrass and Saltmarsh Grass 4.2 Carbon Stock in seagrass and Saltmarsh Grass Community 4.3 Assessment of Carbon Stock in Saltmarsh Grass: A Case Study A4 Severe Cyclonic Storm “AILA” and Its Impact A4.1 Introduction A4.2 Materials and Methods A4.3 Results and Discussion A4.4 Acknowledgement B4 Effect of Saltmarsh Grass (Porteresia Coarctata)Diet on Growth Performance of Tiger Shrimp Penaeus Monodon B4.1 Introduction B4.2 Materials and Methods B4.3 Results and discussion B4.4 Conclusion 5. Seaweeds of the Coastal Zone 5.1 Overview of Seaweed 5.2 Major Types of Seaweeds 5.3 Carbon Storage by Seaweeds A5 Key to Common Seaweed Genera and Species 6. Phytoplankton Community 6.1 Introduction to Coastal Phytoplankton 6.2 Phytoplankton Community: A Unique Sink of Carbon 6.3 Triggering Phytoplankton Through Ironfertilization: Looking Beyond Open Ocean A6 Common Marine and Estuarine Phytoplankton of Indian Sub-continent B6 Carbon Content in Phytoplankton Community of a Tropical Estuarine System B6.1 Introduction B6.2 Materials and Methods B6.3 Results B6.4 Discussion B6.5 Conclusion 7. Molluscan Community: A Unique Carbon Reservoir 7.1 Molluscs of Marine and Estuarine Environment: An Overview 7.2 Composition of Molluscan Shell 7.3 Carbon Stock in Oyster A7 Studies on Microbial Load in Sea Water, Sediment and Edible Oyster (Saccostrea cucullata) from Indian Sundarbans A7.1 Introduction A7.2 Materials and Methods A7.3 Results and discussion B7 Heavy Metals in Edible Shellfish Species from the Lower Gangetic Delta B7.1 Introduction B7.2 Materials and Methods B7.3 Results B7.4 Discussion B7.5 Conclusion