Refining the global estimate of mangrove carbon burial rates using a sedimentary and geomorphic settings framework

This study provides an updated analysis of global, literature-derived mangrove organic carbon (OC) burial rates. Though our analysis indicates the best number (and 95% confidence interval) to represent global mangrove OC burial is 138.6 (120.3 – 158.8) g OC m-2 y-1, we contend that the use of a global number obscures critical nuances in burial rates. By implementing a recently formalized, spatially-explicit global typology to classify mangrove systems to coupled sedimentary-geomorphic settings, we demonstrate that a) burial rates within carbonate-dominated sedimentary settings are lower than in terrigenous settings, and b) more empirically measured mangrove OC burial rates are needed to differentiate burial rates within different geomorphic settings. Based on the demonstrated utility of this framework, we propose that future work should focus less on consolidating a single global confidence interval for mangrove OC burial rates, and should instead focus on exploring drivers of spatial variability in burial rates within sedimentary-geomorphic settings.