Drowned 5,000-year-old forests reborn as thriving peat reefs and biodiversity hotspots off Mozambique
Researchers have discovered ancient, submerged 'peat reefs' off the coast of Mozambique that now function as thriving biodiversity hotspots. This study, published in Scientific Reports, is the first to document these ecosystems in the tropics and highlights their potential importance as carbon stores.
Why it matters
The discovery suggests that there may be many more hidden carbon-sequestering ecosystems globally, necessitating new environmental protection policies.
by Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add to Preferred Sources Peat reef habitat fauna, a bluebanded snapper. Credit: Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies (BCSS) Ocean Observatory Researchers from the Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies (BCSS) Ocean Observatory have documented ancient forests that grew on the Mozambican coast thousands of years ago and have been found beneath the sea, where they now serve as hotspots teeming with marine life similar in biodiversity to coral reefs.
The discovery raises the question of how many more of these hidden peat reefs exist around the world's coastlines and how to evaluate them as a carbon store and develop policies to protect them and their biodiversity.
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