Yim, J.S.; Ohr, S.; Nam, J., and Kim, D., 2023. Using dasymetric mapping applications towards the rapid appraisal of salt marsh blue carbon levels. In: Lee, J.L.; Lee, H.; Min, B.I.; Chang, J.-I.; Cho, G.T.; Yoon, J.-S., and Lee, J. (eds.), Multidisciplinary Approaches to Coastal and Marine Management. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 116, pp. 235-239. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

Coastal wetland ecosystems have the potential to absorb up to 50 times more carbon than terrestrial ecosystems, making them valuable in mitigating the impact of climate change. However, accurately measuring the carbon sequestration capacity of wetlands is challenging due to the spatial variability in the type, density, and proportion of vegetation cover. Dasymetric mapping, using data convergence and spatial interpolation, has the potential to significantly enhance the accuracy of sequestration capacity measurements in meso-scale coastal wetlands. The method presented in this study combines a small number of in-situ sediment samples with two types of readily accessible remote sensing data. This approach allows for the rapid estimation of organic carbon content in tidal wetlands, even when resources in terms of personnel and budget are limited. Moreover, this method provides a reliable estimate of carbon stocks, accounting for the spatial heterogeneity in vegetation cover. It overcomes the limitations of existing data with insufficient information and methods based solely on such data. The method developed in this study can also be applied retrospectively, utilizing image data collected in the past. This capability is essential for research that relies on historical image data.