China visit opens up new collaborations

Barefoot scientist Dr Damien Maher recently travelled to China to meet with scientists working on mangrove rehabilitation and carbon sequestration projects. Dr Maher visited the mangroves in Gaoqiao, Zhanjiang and Guangdong, where scientists from Tsinghua University have established field sites with eddy covariance towers to measure carbon dioxide fluxes between the atmosphere and the mangroves. A new collaboration between the barefoot group and Tsinghua University (China’s number 2 ranked university) has been established. The extensive aquatic expertise of the barefoot team perfectly complements the outstanding micrometeorological work being undertaken by the Tsinghua group. The aim of the collaboration is to close the mangrove carbon cycle by assessing the coupling and exchanges between the atmosphere, terrestrial and aquatic components of mangrove ecosystems.

The coastal squeeze is a global problem for mangroves, with artificial structures such as this walkway preventing landward migration with rising sea level

Blue carbon (carbon) signage at one of the research stations.

At the top of the eddy covariance tower

All aboard … our research vessel for one of our mangrove tours

Eddy covariance tower measuring carbon dioxide fluxes between the atmosphere and the mangroves.

A distinct demarcation between mangroves and aquaculture ponds.