Understand
New carbon tracking tower installed on Scotland's largest saltmarsh at Caerlaverock
Overview
A new flux tower has been installed on Scotland's largest saltmarsh at Caerlaverock on the Solway Firth to measure carbon exchange in real time. The project is a partnership between the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), the Scottish government, NatureScot, and WWF-UK. The data collected will help scientists understand the carbon storage potential of saltmarshes, aid climate mitigation efforts, and support the inclusion of saltmarshes in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
Key points
- A carbon tracking flux tower has been installed on Scotland's largest saltmarsh at Caerlaverock on the Solway Firth.
- About 85% of UK saltmarshes have been lost since the mid-19th century due to land reclamation, pollution, and erosion.
- The project is a partnership involving UKCEH, the Scottish government, NatureScot, and WWF-UK.
- The tower measures carbon exchange in real time to assess the carbon storage and climate mitigation potential of saltmarshes.
- Data from the tower will provide evidence for including saltmarshes in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory.