Carbon Sequestration Capacity of the Lagos Lagoon: Examining the Potentials of a Typical Nigerian Coastal Ecosystem for Climate Change Mitigation

Carbon sequestration capacity of the Lagos Lagoon was studied through a six-month analysis of carbon surrogates. The findings revealed that water samples from inorganic carbon surrogates yeilded higher values than those of organic carbon. Sediment samples recorded higher values of DOC, DIC, TOM, TIM, and TOC. Correlation studies indicate that DOC, DIC, and TOM were the principal determinants of the trends observed in most parameters. A total of 1.5 × 5.3 × 10⁻¹¹ t CO₂ eq ha⁻¹, was sequestered in the surface water, while in sediment, the lagoon demonstrated a sequestration potential of 2.13 × 10⁻⁶ t CO₂ eq ha⁻¹. Biomass of benthic macrofauna populations was a major contributor to the carbon stock and CO₂ sequestered. The low value of carbon sequestered in the lagoon can be attributed to the wide-scale human disturbances taking place in the lagoon.