Evaluation of carbon sequestration potentiality of Lake Burullus, Egypt to mitigate climate change

With the increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide, there is a growing public and scientific concern over the carbon sequestration potential of various ecosystems, especially wetlands. Many scientists have suggested that the sequestration of carbon dioxide in soil organic carbon could contribute significantly to adhere with the Kyoto Protocol in stabilizing the atmospheric abundance of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to mitigate the risks of global warming. The objectives of the present study are: to assess the distribution of soil organic carbon in vegetated and unvegetated sites in a Mediterranean lagoon (i.e. Lake Burullus) in Egypt; to give an accurate estimation of soil organic carbon stock in this lake in order to meet the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol; and to provide estimates of its carbon sequestration potential. In the present study, soil organic carbon content decreased from 22.0 g C kg−1 at the depth of 0–10 cm reaching a minimum of 10.2 g C kg−1 at the depth of 20–30 cm. Soil organic carbon content was significantly higher in the vegetated sites than in the unvegetated sites especially in the surface horizon. The soil organic carbon stock ranged between 760.6 Gg C in the vegetated sites and 2420.2 Gg C in the unvegetated sites, with total soil organic carbon storage of 3180.8 Gg C. The average carbon sequestration rate of the vegetated sites was higher than the unvegetated sites (14.9 and 8.6 g C m−2 year−1). Based on the area and carbon sequestration rate, the total carbon sequestration potential of Lake Burullus was 4.04 Gg C year−1. The present study concluded that, Lake Burullus could be instrumental in formulating efficient strategies related to carbon sequestration and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Mediterranean wetlands.