Date of Award
12-2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S.E.
Degree Program
Civil Engineering
Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Major Professor
Foster-Martinez Madeline
Second Advisor
Bastola Satish
Third Advisor
Kulp Mark A.
Abstract
Black mangroves are essential to Louisiana’s coast, protecting against edge erosion, buffering wave action, and sequestrating carbon. However, their freeze-intolerance makes them vulnerable to polar vortex excursions. This research investigated impacts of a mild freeze event on Avicennia germinans' belowground biomass in restored and natural wetlands. Total and vertical distribution of live belowground biomass were measured. Twenty-four cores were collected before and after the mild freeze event of December 2022 at three locations in West Belle Barrier Island: two within a restoration area and one within naturally occurring mangroves. Cores were 30-cm deep and were divided into 2-cm sections for analysis. The natural wetland had 4 to 7 times more belowground biomass than restored sites. After the freeze, its biomass decreased by 14%, while restored sites decreased by 82% (edge) and 22% (inland). Results indicate restoration status and impacts of low temperatures should be considered when modeling mangrove-derived blue carbon.
Recommended Citation
Desthomas, Agathe, "Belowground Responses of Avicennia germinans to Mild Freeze Events: Implications for Blue Carbon Storage and Restored Wetlands" (2024). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 3214.
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/3214
Rights
The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.