Science activity

Tidal wetlands that ring the Delta have great potential to remove carbon dioxide— the greenhouse gas responsible for climate change and sea-level rise—from the atmosphere and to protect shorelines from rising sea levels. This study set out to understand how effectively and quickly restored wetlands bury carbon in soils and the degree to which flooded wetlands may produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The project team measured carbon dioxide and methane fluxes into and out of the wetlands to assess carbon sequestration across a network of tidal and non-tidal wetlands differing in age and salinity. They examined variability across the Delta using this information and remote sensing products.