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Dr Oscar Serrano

Adjunct Associate Professor

Staff Member Details
Email: o.serranogras@ecu.edu.au
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5973-0046

Oscar is an Adjunct in the School of Science.

Background

I have over seven years research experience in marine ecology and palaeoecology, and in marine biogeochemical cycles. In Spain I worked at the Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes and the University of Santiago de Compostela.

  • 2012: Post Doctoral Researcher, School of Natural Sciences.
  • 2011: Research Contract, University of Santiago de Compostela, Project “AGRIWESTMED - Origins and spread of agriculture in the south-western Mediterranean region”. Coordinator: Antonio Martinez cortizas.
  • 2005-2010: Research Contracts and Fellows, Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes, Projects “SUMAR II - The carbon sink associated with marine macrophytes and development of their potential in paleoecology and environmental management”; “SUMAR - El papel de las praderas marinas mediterráneas en el ciclo global del carbono”; “CARBOMED - Magnitude of the carbon sink associated with the seagrass Posidonia oceanica and potential in paleoecology”; “Asistencia técnica para el estudio de confirmación de la evaluación de la calidad ambiental de las masas de agua costeras utilizando macroalgas e invertebrados bentónicos como bioindicadores”; “WADI - Sustainable management of the Mediterranean coastal fresh and transitional water bodies: a socio-economic and environmental analysis of changes and trends to enhance and sustain stakeholder’s benefits”.

Professional Associations

  • Member of the consolidated research group directed by Iosune Uriz, GRUPO DE ECOLOGIA BENTONICA, SGR2005-000277 at the Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CSIC).
  • Foundation member of BIOSFERA, Associació d’Educació Ambiental.

Research Areas and Interests

  • Marine Ecology and Palaeoecology
  • Marine Biogeochemical Cycles (with a focus on the role of seagrasses as a Blue Carbon sink and the reconstruction of past metal pollution in coastal areas).
  • Seagrass Ecology and Paleoecology
  • Global Change
  • Use of Stable Isotopes in Ecological Studies
  • Basic and Applied Ecology of Aquatic Macrophytes
  • Balance of Ecosystem
  • Detrital Compartment in Marine Macrophytes
  • Biomarkers and Analysis of Ecosystem Health

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Marine Ecology, Spain, 2011.

Research Outputs

Journal Articles

  • Walden, L., Serrano Gras, O., Shen, Z., Zhang, M., Lavery, P., Luo, Z., Gao, L., Viscarra Rossel, RA. (2024). Mid-infrared spectroscopy determines the provenance of coastal marine soils and their organic and inorganic carbon content. Science of the Total Environment, 949(2024), article number 174871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174871.
  • Foster, NR., Jones, AR., Serrano Gras, O., Lafratta, A., Lavery, P., Van Dijk, K., Biffin, E., Gillanders, BM., Young, J., Masque Barri, P., Gadd, PS., Jacobsen, GE., Zawadzki, A., Greene, A., Waycott, M. (2024). Environmental DNA identifies coastal plant community shift 1,000 years ago in Torrens Island, South Australia. Communications Earth & Environment, 5(1), article number 115. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01277-y.
  • Zhou, C., Liu, D., Keesing, J., Zhao, N., Serrano Gras, O., Masque Barri, P., Yuan, Z., Jia, Y., Wang, Y. (2024). Microalgal assemblages response to water quality remediation in coastal waters of Perth, Australia. Environmental Pollution, 351(2024), article number 124017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124017.
  • García-Escudero, CA., Litsi-Mizan, V., Efthymiadis, PT., Gerakaris, V., Serrano Gras, O., Apostolaki, ET. (2024). Strong marine heatwaves trigger flowering in seagrass. Limnology and Oceanography, 2024(Article in press), pp. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12589.
  • Gomis, E., Ballesteros, E., Bernabeu, I., Inostroza, K., Mateo, M., Serrano Gras, O. (2024). Escarpments within Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica meadows increase habitat heterogeneity and structural complexity enhancing fish diversity and biomass. Frontiers in Marine Science, 11(2024), article number 1373074. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1373074.
  • Dahl, M., Gullström, M., Bernabeu, I., Serrano Gras, O., Leiva-Dueñas, C., Linderholm, HW., Asplund, ME., Björk, M., Ou, T., Svensson, JR., Andrén, E., Andrén, T., Bergman, S., Braun, S., Eklöf, A., Ežerinskis, Z., Garbaras, A., Hällberg, P., Löfgren, E., Kylander, ME., Masque Barri, P., Šapolaitė, J., Smittenberg, R., Mateo, M. (2024). A 2,000-Year Record of Eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) Colonization Shows Substantial Gains in Blue Carbon Storage and Nutrient Retention. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 38(3), article number e2023GB008039. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GB008039.

Journal Articles

  • Walden, L., Serrano Gras, O., Zhang, M., Shen, Z., Sippo, JZ., Bennett, LT., Maher, DT., Lovelock, CE., Macreadie, PI., Gorham, C., Lafratta, A., Lavery, P., Mosley, L., Reithmaier, GM., Kelleway, JJ., Dittmann, S., Adame, F., Duarte, CM., Gallagher, JB., Waryszak, P., Carnell, P., Kasel, S., Hinko-Najera, N., Hassan, R., Goddard, M., Jones, AR., Viscarra Rossel, RA. (2023). Multi-Scale Mapping Of Australia'S Terrestrial And Blue Carbon Stocks And Their Continental And Bioregional Drivers. Communications Earth & Environment, 4(1), article number 189. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00838-x.
  • Strydom, S., McCallum, R., Lafratta, A., Webster, C., O'Dea, C., Said, N., Dunham, T., Inostroza, K., Salinas Zapata, C., Billinghurst, S., Phelps, C., Campbell, C., Gorham, C., Bernasconi, R., Frouws, A., Werner, A., Vitelli, F., Puigcorbe Lacueva, V., D'cruz, A., McMahon, K., Robinson, J., Huggett, M., McNamara, S., Hyndes, G., Serrano Gras, O. (2023). Global dataset on seagrass meadow structure, biomass and production. Earth System Science Data, 15(1), 511-519. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-511-2023.
  • Majtényi-Hill, C., Reithmaier, G., Yau, Y., Serrano Gras, O., Piñeiro-Juncal, N., Santos, I. (2023). Inorganic carbon outwelling from a Mediterranean seagrass meadow using radium isotopes. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 283(TBD), article number 108248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2023.108248.
  • Yau, YY., Reithmaier, G., Majtenyi-Hill, C., Serrano Gras, O., Pineiro-Juncal, N., Dahl, M., Mateo, M., Bonaglia, S., Santos, IR. (2023). Methane Emissions In Seagrass Meadows As A Small Offset To Carbon Sequestration. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 128(6), article number e2022JG007295. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JG007295.
  • Dahl, M., McMahon, K., Lavery, P., Hamilton, SH., Lovelock, CE., Serrano Gras, O. (2023). Ranking The Risk Of Co2 Emissions From Seagrass Soil Carbon Stocks Under Global Change Threats. Global Environmental Change, 78(2023), article number 102632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2022.102632.
  • Costa, MD., Adame, MF., V. Bryant, C., Hill, J., Kelleway, JJ., Lovelock, CE., Ola, A., Rasheed, MA., Salinas Zapata, C., Serrano Gras, O., Waltham, N., York, PH., Young, M., Macreadie, P. (2023). Quantifying Blue Carbon Stocks And The Role Of Protected Areas To Conserve Coastal Wetlands. Science of the Total Environment, 874(2023), article number 162518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162518.
  • Villalobos, Y., Canadell, JG., Keller, ED., Briggs, PR., Bukosa, B., Giltrap, DL., Harman, I., Hilton, TW., Kirschbaum, MU., Lauerwald, R., Liang, LL., Maavara, T., Mikaloff-Fletcher, SE., Rayner, PJ., Resplandy, L., Rosentreter, J., Metz, E., Serrano Gras, O., Smith, B. (2023). A Comprehensive Assessment of Anthropogenic and Natural Sources and Sinks of Australasia's Carbon Budget. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 37(12), article number e2023GB007845. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GB007845.
  • Lafratta, A., Serrano Gras, O., Masque Barri, P., Fernandes, M., Gaylard, S., Lavery, P. (2023). Seagrass soils sequester up to half the metal emissions of one of the world's largest smelters. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 197(2023), article number 115684. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115684.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Mazarrasa, I., Fourqurean, JW., Serrano, E., Baldock, J., Sanderman, J. (2023). Flaws in the methodologies for organic carbon analysis in seagrass blue carbon soils. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 21(12), 814-827. https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10583.
  • Thura, K., Serrano Gras, O., Gu, J., Fang, Y., Htwe, H., Zhu, Y., Huang, R., Agusti, S., Duarte, C., Wang, H., Wu, J. (2023). Mangrove restoration built soil organic carbon stocks over six decades: a chronosequence study. Journal of Soils and Sediments: protection, risk assessment and remediation, 23(3), 1193-1203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-022-03418-2.
  • Mazarrasa, I., Neto, JM., Bouma, TJ., Grandjean, T., Garcia-Orellana, J., Masque Barri, P., Recio, M., Serrano Gras, O., Puente, A., Juanes, JA. (2023). Drivers Of Variability In Blue Carbon Stocks And Burial Rates Across European Estuarine Habitats. Science of the Total Environment, 886(2023), article number 163957. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163957.
  • Litsi-Mizan, V., Efthymiadis, PT., Gerakaris, V., Serrano Gras, O., Tsapakis, M., Apostolaki, ET. (2023). Decline Of Seagrass (Posidonia Oceanica) Production Over Two Decades In The Face Of Warming Of The Eastern Mediterranean Sea. New Phytologist, 2023(Article in Press), TBD. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19084.
  • Malerba, ME., Costa, MD., Friess, DA., Schuster, L., Young, MA., Lagomasino, D., Serrano Gras, O., Hickey, SM., York, PH., Rasheed, M., Lefcheck, JS., Radford, B., Atwood, TB., Ierodiaconou, D., Macreadie, P. (2023). Remote Sensing For Cost-Effective Blue Carbon Accounting. Earth-Science Reviews, 238(2023), article number 104337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2023.104337.
  • Ross, FW., Boyd, PW., Filbee-Dexter, K., Watanabe, K., Ortega, A., Krause-Jensen, D., Lovelock, C., Sondak, CF., Bach, LT., Duarte, CM., Serrano Gras, O., Beardall, J., Tarbuck, P., Macreadie, PI. (2023). Potential Role Of Seaweeds In Climate Change Mitigation. Science of the Total Environment, 885(2023), article number 163699. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163699.
  • Capo-Bauca, S., Whitney, S., Iniguez, C., Serrano Gras, O., Rhodes, T., Galmes, J. (2023). The Trajectory In Catalytic Evolution Of Rubisco In Posidonia Seagrass Species Differs From Terrestrial Plants. Plant Physiology, 191(2), 946-956. https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiac492.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Inostroza, K., Hyndes, G., Friedlander, AM., Serrano, E., Rae, C., Ballesteros, E. (2023). Seagrass Posidonia Escarpments Support High Diversity And Biomass Of Rocky Reef Fishes. Ecosphere, 14(6), article number e4599. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4599.

Book Chapters

  • Kelleway, JJ., Adame, MF., Gorham, C., Bratchell, J., Serrano Gras, O., Lavery, P., Owers, CJ., Rogers, K., Nagel-Tynan, Z., Saintilan, N. (2022). Carbon Storage in the Coastal Swamp Oak Forest Wetlands of Australia. Wetland Carbon and Environmental Management (339 - 353). John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119639305.ch18.

Journal Articles

  • Dahl, M., Ismail, R., Braun, S., Masque Barri, P., Lavery, P., Gullström, M., Arias-Ortiz, A., Asplund, M., Garbaras, A., Lyimo, L., Mtolera, M., Serrano Gras, O., Webster, C., Björk, M. (2022). Impacts of land-use change and urban development on carbon sequestration in tropical seagrass meadow sediments. Marine Environmental Research, 176(2022), article number 105608. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105608.
  • Kennedy, H., Pagès, J., Lagomasino, D., Arias-Ortiz, A., Colarusso, P., Fourqurean, J., Githaiga, M., Howard, J., Krause-Jensen, D., Kuwae, T., Lavery, P., Macreadie, P., Marbà, N., Masque Barri, P., Mazarrasa, I., Miyajima, T., Serrano Gras, O., Duarte, C. (2022). Species Traits and Geomorphic Setting as Drivers of Global Soil Carbon Stocks in Seagrass Meadows. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 36(10), article number e2022GB007481. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GB007481.
  • Kaal, J., González-Pérez, J., Márquez San Emeterio, L., Serrano Gras, O. (2022). Fingerprinting macrophyte Blue Carbon by pyrolysis-GC-compound specific isotope analysis (Py-CSIA). Science of the Total Environment, 836(2022), article number 155598. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155598.
  • Samper-Villarreal, J., Mazarrasa, I., Masque Barri, P., Serrano Gras, O., Cortés, J. (2022). Sediment organic carbon stocks were similar among four species compositions in a tropical seagrass meadow. Limnology and Oceanography, 67(S2), S208-S225. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12258.
  • Liu, D., Zhou, C., Keesing, J., Serrano Gras, O., Werner, A., Fang, Y., Chen, Y., Masque Barri, P., Kinloch, J., Sadekov, A., Du, Y. (2022). Wildfires enhance phytoplankton production in tropical oceans. Nature Communications, 13(1), Article number 1348. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29013-0.
  • Piñeiro-Juncal, N., Serrano Gras, O., Mateo, M., Diaz-Almela, E., Leiva-Dueñas, C., Martinez-Cortizas, A. (2022). Review of the physical and chemical properties of seagrass soils. Geoderma, 428(2022), article number 116219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.116219.

Book Chapters

  • Serrano Gras, O., Arias-Ortiz, A., Duarte, C., Kendrick, G., Lavery, P. (2021). Impact of Marine Heatwaves on Seagrass Ecosystems. Ecosystem Collapse and Climate Change (345-364). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71330-0_13.

Journal Articles

  • Macreadie, P., Costa, M., Atwood, T., Friess, D., Kelleway, J., Kennedy, H., Lovelock, C., Serrano Gras, O., Duarte, C. (2021). Blue carbon as a natural climate solution. Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, 2(12), 826-839. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-021-00224-1.
  • Young, M., Serrano Gras, O., Macreadie, P., Lovelock, C., Carnell, P., Ierodiaconou, D. (2021). National scale predictions of contemporary and future blue carbon storage. Science of the Total Environment, 800(15 December 2021), Article number 149573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149573.
  • Gorham, C., Lavery, P., Kelleway, J., Masque Barri, P., Serrano Gras, O. (2021). Heterogeneous tidal marsh soil organic carbon accumulation among and within temperate estuaries in Australia. Science of the Total Environment, 787(15 September 2021), Article number 147482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147482.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Gómez-López, D., Sánchez-Valencia, L., Acosta-Chaparro, A., Navas-Camacho, R., González-Corredor, J., Salinas Zapata, C., Masque Barri, P., Bernal, C., Marbà, N. (2021). Seagrass blue carbon stocks and sequestration rates in the Colombian Caribbean. Scientific Reports, 11(1), Article number 11067. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90544-5.
  • Duarte De Paula Costa, M., Lovelock, C., Waltham, N., Young, M., Adame, M., Bryant, C., Butler, D., Green, D., Rasheed, M., Salinas Zapata, C., Serrano Gras, O., York, P., Whitt, A., Macreadie, P. (2021). Current and future carbon stocks in coastal wetlands within the Great Barrier Reef catchments. Global Change Biology, 27(14), 3257-3271. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15642.
  • Santos, I., Burdige, D., Jennerjahn, T., Bouillon, S., Cabral, A., Serrano Gras, O., Wernberg, T., Filbee-Dexter, K., Guimond, J., Tamborski, J. (2021). The renaissance of Odum's outwelling hypothesis in 'Blue Carbon' science. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 255(5 July 2021), Article number 107361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2021.107361.
  • Mazarrasa, I., Lavery, P., Duarte, C., Lafratta, A., Lovelock, C., Macreadie, P., Samper-Villarreal, J., Salinas Zapata, C., Sanders, C., Trevathan-Tackett, S., Young , M., Steven, A., Serrano Gras, O. (2021). Factors determining Seagrass Blue carbon across bioregions and geomorphologies. Global Biogeochemical Cycles: an international journal of global change, 35(6), Article number e2021GB006935. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GB006935.
  • Gorham, C., Lavery, P., Kelleway, JJ., Salinas Zapata, C., Serrano Gras, O. (2021). Soil Carbon Stocks Vary Across Geomorphic Settings in Australian Temperate Tidal Marsh Ecosystems. Ecosystems, 24(2), 319-334. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-020-00520-9.

Journal Articles

  • Kelleway, JJ., Serrano Gras, O., Baldock, JA., Burgess, R., Cannard, T., Lavery, P., Lovelock, CE., Macreadie, PI., Masque Barri, P., Newnham, M., Saintilan, N., Steven, AD. (2020). A national approach to greenhouse gas abatement through blue carbon management. Global Environmental Change, 63(July 2020), Article number 102083. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2020.102083.
  • Saderne, V., Cusack, M., Serrano Gras, O., Almahasheer, H., Krishnakumar, P., Rabaoui, L., Qurban, M., Duarte, C. (2020). Role of vegetated coastal ecosystems as nitrogen and phosphorous filters and sinks in the coasts of Saudi Arabia. Environmental Research Letters, 15(3), Article number 034058. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab76da.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Lavery, P., Bongiovanni, J., Duarte, CM. (2020). Impact of seagrass establishment, industrialization and coastal infrastructure on seagrass biogeochemical sinks. Marine Environmental Research, 160(September 2020), Article number 104990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104990.
  • Wu, J., Zhang, H., Pan, Y., Krause-Jensen, D., He, Z., Fan, W., Xiao, X., Chung, I., Marba, N., Serrano Gras, O., Rivkin, RB., Zheng, Y., Gu, J., Zhang, X., Zhang, Z., Zhao, P., Qiu, W., Chen, G., Duarte, CM. (2020). Opportunities for blue carbon strategies in China. Ocean and Coastal Management, 194(15 August 2020), Article number 105241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105241.
  • Kaal, J., Lavery, P., Martínez-Cortizas, A., López-Costas, O., Buchaca, T., Salinas Zapata, C., Serrano Gras, O. (2020). Reconstruction of 7500 years of coastal environmental change impacting seagrass ecosystem dynamics in Oyster Harbour (SW Australia). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 558(November 2020), Article number 109953. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109953.
  • Salinas Zapata, C., Duarte, CM., Lavery, P., Masque Barri, P., Arias-Ortiz, A., Leon, JX., Callaghan, D., Kendrick, GA., Serrano Gras, O. (2020). Seagrass losses since mid-20th century fuelled CO2 emissions from soil carbon stocks. Global Change Biology, 26(9), 4772-4784. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15204.
  • Leiva-Dueñas, C., Leavitt, PR., Buchaca, T., Martínez Cortizas, A., López-Merino, L., Serrano Gras, O., Lavery, P., Schouten, S., Mateo, M. (2020). Factors regulating primary producers' assemblages in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile ecosystems over the past 1800 years. Science of the Total Environment, 718(May 2020), Article number 137163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137163.
  • Piñeiro-Juncal, N., Leiva-Dueñas, C., Serrano Gras, O., Mateo, M., Martínez-Cortízas, A. (2020). Pedogenic Processes in a Posidonia oceanica Mat. Soil Systems, 4(2), Article number 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems4020018.
  • Bedulli, C., Lavery, P., Harvey, M., Duarte, C., Serrano Gras, O. (2020). Contribution of Seagrass Blue Carbon Toward Carbon Neutral Policies in a Touristic and Environmentally-Friendly Island. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7(24 January 2020), Article number 1. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00001.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Jamaludin, M., Lavery, P., Smernik, RJ. (2020). Organic chemistry insights for the exceptional soil carbon storage of the seagrass Posidonia australis. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 237(31 May 2020), Article number 106662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2020.106662.
  • Rencoret, J., Marques, G., Serrano Gras, O., Kaal, J., Martínez, A., Del Río, J., Gutiérrez, A. (2020). Deciphering the Unique Structure and Acylation Pattern of Posidonia oceanica Lignin. ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 8(33), 12521-12533. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c03502.
  • Kaal, J., Martínez Cortizas, A., Mateo, M., Serrano Gras, O. (2020). Deciphering organic matter sources and ecological shifts in blue carbon ecosystems based on molecular fingerprinting. Science of the Total Environment, 742(10 November 2020), Article number 140554. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140554.
  • Lafratta, A., Serrano Gras, O., Masque Barri, P., Mateo, M., Fernandes, M., Gaylard, S., Lavery, P. (2020). Challenges to select suitable habitats and demonstrate ‘additionality’ in Blue Carbon projects: A seagrass case study. Ocean and Coastal Management, 197(1 November 2020), Article number 105295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105295.

Book Chapters

  • Serrano Gras, O., Kelleway, JJ., Lovelock, C., Lavery, P. (2019). Conservation of Blue Carbon Ecosystems for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. Coastal Wetlands: An Integrated Ecosystem Approach (). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63893-9.00028-9.

Journal Articles

  • Macreadie, P., Anton, A., Raven, JA., Beaumont, N., Connolly, RM., Friess, DA., Kelleway, J., Kennedy, H., Kuwae, T., Lavery, P., Lovelock, C., Smale, DA., Apostolaki, ET., Atwood, TB., Baldock, J., Bianchi, TS., Chmura, GL., Eyre, BD., Fourqurean, JW., Hall-Spencer, JM., Huxham, M., Hendriks, IE., Krause-Jensen, D., Laffoley, D., Luisetti, T., Marbà, N., Masque Barri, P., McGlathery, KJ., Megonigal, JP., Murdiyarso, D., Russell, BD., Santos, R., Serrano Gras, O., Silliman, BR., Watanabe, K., Duarte, CM. (2019). The future of Blue Carbon science. Nature Communications, 10(1), Article number 3998. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-11693-w.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Lovelock, C., Atwood, TB., Macreadie, PI., Canto, R., Phinn, S., Arias-Ortiz, A., Bai, L., Baldock, J., Bedulli, C., Carnell, P., Connolly, RM., Donaldson, P., Esteban Pacheco, A., Ewers Lewis, CJ., Eyre, BD., Hayes, MA., Horwitz, P., Hutley, LB., Kavazos, C., Kelleway, J., Kendrick, GA., Kilminster, K., Lafratta, A., Shing, L., Lavery, P., Maher, DT., Marba, N., Masque Barri, P., Mateo, M., Mount, R., Ralph, PJ., Roelfsema, C., Rozaimi, M., Ruhon, R., Salinas Zapata, C., Samper-Villarreal, J., Sanderman, J., Sanders, CJ., Santos, I., Sharples, C., Steveb, AD., Cannard, T., Trevathan-Tackett, SM., Duarte, CM. (2019). Australian vegetated coastal ecosystems as global hotspots for climate change mitigation. Nature Communications, 10(1), article no.4313. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12176-8.
  • Belshe, EF., Sanjuan, J., Leiva-Dueñas, C., Piñeiro-Juncal, N., Serrano Gras, O., Lavery, P., Mateo, M. (2019). Modeling Organic Carbon Accumulation Rates and Residence Times in Coastal Vegetated Ecosystems. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 124(11), 3652-3671. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JG005233.
  • Lafratta, A., Serrano Gras, O., Masque Barri, P., Mateo, M., Fernandes, M., Gayland, S., Lavery, P. (2019). Seagrass soil archives reveal centennial-scale metal smelter contamination while acting as natural filters. Science of the Total Environment, 649(1 February 2019), 1381-1392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.400.
  • Gerarldi, NR., Ortega, A., Serrano Gras, O., Macreadi, PI., Lovelock, C., Krause-Jensen, D., Kennedy, H., Lavery, P., Pace, ML., Kaal, J., D, CM. (2019). Fingerprinting Blue Carbon: Rationale and Tools to Determine the Source of Organic Carbon in Marine Depositional Environments. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6(May, 2019), Article number 263. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00263.
  • Krause-Jensen, D., Serrano Gras, O., Apostolaki, ET., Gregory, DJ., Duarte, CM. (2019). Seagrass sedimentary deposits as security vaults and time capsules of the human past. Ambio, 48(4), 325-335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-018-1083-2.
  • Saderne, V., Geraldi, N., Macreadie, PI., Maher, D., Middleburg, J., Serrano Gras, O., Almahasheer, H., Arias-Ortiz, A., Cusack, M., Eyre, B., Fourqurean, J., Kennedy, H., Krause-Jensen, D., Kuwae, T., Lavery, P., Lovelock, C., Marba, N., Masque Barri, P., Mateo, M., Mazarrasa, I., McGlathery, K., Oreska, M., Sanders, C., Santos, I., Smoak, J., Tanaya, T., Watanabe, K., Duarte, CM. (2019). Role of carbonate burial in Blue Carbon budgets. Nature Communications, 10(1), Article no. 1106. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-08842-6.
  • Kaal, J., Serrano Gras, O., Martínez Cortizas, A., Baldock, JA., Lavery, P. (2019). Millennial-scale changes in the molecular composition of Posidonia australis seagrass deposits: Implications for Blue Carbon sequestration. Organic Geochemistry, 137(November 2019), Article no.103898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2019.07.007.

Journal Articles

  • Arias-Ortiz, A., Garcia-Orellana, J., Serrano Gras, O., Mazarrasa, I., Marbà, N., Lovelock, C., Lavery, P., Duarte, CM. (2018). Reviews and syntheses: 210Pb-derived sediment and carbon accumulation rates in vegetated coastal ecosystems – setting the record straight. Biogeosciences, 15(22), 6791-6818. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6791-2018.
  • Almahasheer, H., Serrano Gras, O., Duarte, C., Irigoien, X. (2018). Remobilization of heavy metals by mangrove leaves. Frontiers in Marine Science, 5(13 December 2018), article no.484. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2018.00484.
  • Kaal, J., Serrano Gras, O., Del Rio, JC., Rencoret, J. (2018). Radically different lignin composition in Posidonia species may link to differences in organic carbon sequestration capacity. Organic Geochemistry, 124(2018), 247-256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2018.07.017.
  • Young, M., Macreadie, PI., Duncan, C., Carnell, P., Nicholson, E., Serrano Gras, O., Duarte, CM., Shiell, G., Baldock, J., Ierodiaconou, D. (2018). Optimal soil carbon sampling designs to achieve cost-effectiveness: a case study in blue carbon ecosystems. Biology Letters, 14(9), 20180416. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2018.0416.
  • Leiva-Dueñas, C., López-Merino, L., Serrano Gras, O., Martínez Cortizas, A., Mateo, M. (2018). Millennial-scale trends and controls in Posidonia oceanica (L. Delile) ecosystem productivity. Global and Planetary Change, 169(October 2018), 92-104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2018.07.011.
  • Krause-Jensen, D., Lavery, P., Serrano Gras, O., Marba, N., Masque Barri, P., Duarte, C. (2018). Sequestration of macroalgal carbon: the elephant in the Blue Carbon room. Biology Letters, 14(6), article no.20180236. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2018.0236.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Almahasheer, H., Duarte, CM., Irigoien, X. (2018). Carbon stocks and accumulation rates in Red Sea seagrass meadows. Scientific Reports, 8(1), article no.15037. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-33182-8.
  • Mazarrasa, I., Samper-Villarreal, J., Serrano Gras, O., Lavery, P., Lovelock, C., Marbà, N., Duarte, CM., Cortés, J. (2018). Habitat characteristics provide insights of carbon storage in seagrass meadows. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 134(September 2018), 106-117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.01.059.
  • Macreadie, PI., Ewers-Lewis, C., Whitt, AA., Ollivier, Q., Trevathan-Tackett, SM., Carnell, P., Serrano Gras, O. (2018). Comment on 'Geoengineering with seagrasses: Is credit due where credit is given?'. Environmental Research Letters, 13(2), Article number 028002. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaa7ad.
  • Saderne, V., Cusack, M., Alamahsheer, H., Serrano Gras, O., Masque Barri, P., Arias-Ortiz, A., Krishnakumar, P., Rabaoui, L., Qurban, MA., Duarte, CM. (2018). Accumulation of Carbonates Contributes to Coastal Vegetated Ecosystems Keeping Pace With Sea Level Rise in an Arid Region (Arabian Peninsula). Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 123(5), 1498-1510. https://doi.org/10.1029/2017JG004288.
  • Arias-Ortiz, A., Serrano Gras, O., Masque Barri, P., Lavery, P., Mueller, U., Kendrick, G., Rozaimi, M., Esteban Pacheco, A., Fourqurean, J., Marba, N., Mateo, M., Murray, K., Rule, MJ., Duarte, C. (2018). A marine heatwave drives massive losses from the world’s largest seagrass carbon stocks. Nature Climate Change, 8(4), 338-344. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0096-y.
  • Serrano, E., Coma, R., Inostroza, K., Serrano Gras, O. (2018). Polyp bail-out by the coral Astroides calycularis (Scleractinia, Dendrophylliidae). Marine Biodiversity: international journal of marine science, 48(3), 1661-1665. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-017-0647-x.

Journal Articles

  • Lopez-Merino, L., Colas-Ruiz, NR., Adame, MF., Serrano Gras, O., Cortizas, AM., Mateo, M. (2017). A six thousand-year record of climate and land-use change from Mediterranean seagrass mats. Journal of Ecology, 105(5), 1267-1278. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12741.
  • Almahasheer, H., Serrano Gras, O., Duarte, C., Arias-Ortiz, A., Masque Barri, P., Irigoien, X. (2017). Low Carbon sink capacity of Red Sea mangroves. Scientific Reports, 7(1), Article Number: 9700. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-10424-9.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Serrano, E., Inostroza, K., Lavery, P., Mateo, MA., Ballesteros, E. (2017). Seagrass Meadows Provide 3D Habitat for Reef Fish. Frontiers in Marine Science, 4(28 Feb 2017), Article no.54. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2017.00054.
  • Macreadie, PI., Ollivier, Q., Kelleway, J., Serrano Gras, O., Carnell, P., Ewers Lewis, C., Atwood, T., Sanderman, J., Baldock, J., Connolly, R., Duarte, C., Lavery, P., Steven, A., Lovelock, C. (2017). Carbon sequestration by Australian tidal marshes. Scientific Reports, 7(10 March), Article number 44071. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep44071.
  • Macreadie, PI., Serrano Gras, O., Maher, DT., Duarte, CM., Beardall, J. (2017). Addressing calcium carbonate cycling in blue carbon accounting. Limnology and Oceanography Letters, 2(6), 195-201. https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10052.
  • Macreadie, P., Serrano Gras, O., Duarte, C., Beardall, J., Maher, D. (2017). Commentary: Evaluating the Role of Seagrass in Cenozoic CO2 Variations. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 5(August 2017), article no.55. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2017.00055.
  • Atwood, T., Connolly, RM., Almahasheer, H., Carnell, P., Duarte, C., Ewers Lewis, C., Irigoien, X., Kelleway, J., Lavery, P., Macreadie, P., Serrano Gras, O., Sanders, C., Santos, I., Steven, A., Lovelock, C. (2017). Global patterns in mangrove soil carbon stocks and losses. Nature Climate Change, 7(7), 523-528. https://doi.org/10.1038/NCLIMATE3326.
  • Lovelock, CE., Atwood, T., Baldock, J., Duarte, CM., Hickey, S., Lavery, P., Masque Barri, P., Macreadie, PI., Ricart, AM., Serrano Gras, O., Steven, A. (2017). Assessing the risk of carbon dioxide emissions from blue carbon ecosystems. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 15(5), 257-265. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.1491.

Journal Articles

  • Kaal, J., Serrano Gras, O., Nierop, KG., Schellerkens, J., Martínez Cortizas, A., Mateo, M. (2016). Molecular composition of plant parts and sediment organic matter in a Mediterranean seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) mat. Aquatic Botany, 133(1 Aug. 2016), 50-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquabot.2016.05.009.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Lavery, P., Duarte, CM., Kendrick, GA., Calafat, A., York, PH., Steven, A., Macreadie, PI. (2016). Can mud (silt and clay) concentration be used to predict soil organic carbon content within seagrass ecosystems?. Biogeosciences, 13(17), 4915-4926. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4915-2016.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Ricart, A., Lavery, P., Mateo, M., Arias-Ortiz, A., Masque Barri, P., Jamaludin, M., Stevem, A., Duarte, CM. (2016). Key biogeochemical factors affecting soil carbon storage in Posidonia meadows. Biogeosciences, 13(15), 4581-4594. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4581-2016.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Ruhon, R., Lavery, P., Kendrick, G., Hickey, S., Masque Barri, P., Arias-Ortiz, A., Steven, A., Duarte, C. (2016). Impact of mooring activities on carbon stocks in seagrass meadows. Scientific Reports, 6(2016), Article no. 23193. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep23193.
  • Jamaludin, M., Lavery, P., Serrano Gras, O., Kyrwood, D. (2016). Long-term carbon storage and its recent loss in an estuarine Posidonia australis meadow (Albany, Western Australia). Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 171(2016), 58-65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2016.01.001.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Lavery, P., Lopez-Merino, L., Ballesteros, E., Mateo, M. (2016). Location and associated carbon storage of erosional escarpments of seagrass Posidonia mats. Frontiers in Marine Science, 3(Mar. 2016), article no.42. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2016.00042.
  • Sawstrom, C., Serrano Gras, O., Jamaludin, M., Lavery, P. (2016). Utilization of carbon substrates by heterotrophic bacteria through vertical sediment profiles in coastal and estuarine seagrass meadows. Environmental Microbiology Reports, 8(5), 582-589. https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-2229.12406.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Lavery, P., Masque Barri, P., Inostroza, K., Bongiovanni, J., Duarte, CM. (2016). Seagrass sediments reveal the long-term deterioration of an estuarine ecosystem. Global Change Biology, 22(4), 1523-1531. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13195.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Davis, G., Lavery, P., Duarte, CM., Martinez-Cortizas, A., Mateo, M., Masque Barri, P., Arias-Ortiz, A., Jamaludin, M., Kendrick, GA. (2016). Reconstruction of centennial-scale fluxes of chemical elements in the Australian coastal environment using seagrass archives. Science of the Total Environment, 541(2016), 883-894. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.09.017.

Journal Articles

  • Mazarrasa, I., Marba, N., Lovelock, C., Serrano Gras, O., Lavery, P., Fourqurean, J., Kennedy, H., Mateo, M., Krause-Jensen, D., Steven, A., Duarte, C. (2015). Seagrass meadows as a globally significant carbonate reservoir. Biogeosciences, 12(16), 4993-5003. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-4993-2015.
  • Lopez-Merino, L., Serrano Gras, O., Adame, MF., Mateo, M., Cortizas, AM. (2015). Glomalin accumulated in seagrass sediments reveals past alterations in soil quality due to land-use change. Global and Planetary Change, 133(2015), 87-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2015.08.004.

Journal Articles

  • Pergent, G., Bazairi, H., Bianchi, CN., Boudouresque, CF., Buia, MC., Calvo, S., Clabaut, P., Harmelin-Vivien, M., Mateo, MA., Montefalcone , M., Morri, C., Orfanidis, S., Pergent-Martini, C., Semroud, R., Serrano Gras, O., Thibaut, T., Tomasello, A., Verlaque, M. (2014). Climate change and Mediterranean seagrass meadows: a synopsis for environmental managers. Mediterranean Marine Science, 15(2), 462-473. https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.621.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Lavery, P., Jamaludin, M., Mateo, M. (2014). Influence of water depth on the carbon sequestration capacity of seagrasses. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 28(9), 950-961. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GB004872.

Journal Articles

  • Serrano Gras, O., Martínez-Cortizas, A., Mateo, M., Biester, H., Bindler, R. (2013). Millennial scale impact on the marine biogeochemical cycle of mercury from early mining on the Iberian Peninsula. Global Biogeochemical Cycles: an international journal of global change, 27(1), 21-30. https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GB004296.
  • Lavery, P., Mateo, M., Serrano Gras, O., Jamaludin, M. (2013). Variability in the carbon storage of seagrass habitats and its implications for global estimates of Blue Carbon ecosystem service. PLoS One, 8(9), Article number e73748. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0073748.
  • Jamaludin, M., Serrano Gras, O., Lavery, P. (2013). Comparison of carbon stores by two morphologically different seagrasses. The Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia, 96(2013), 81-83.

Journal Articles

  • Serrano Gras, O., Mateo, M., Renom, P., Julia, R. (2012). Characterization of soils beneath a Posidonia oceanica meadow. Geoderma, 185-186(1), 26-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2012.03.020.
  • Fourqurean, JW., Duarte, C., Kennedy, H., Marba, N., Holmer, M., Mateo, M., Apostolaki, ET., Kendrick, GA., Krause-Jensen, D., McGlathery, KJ., Serrano Gras, O. (2012). Seagrass ecosystems as a globally significant carbon stock. Nature Geoscience, 5(7), 505-509. https://doi.org/10.1038/NGEO1477.

Journal Articles

  • Serrano Gras, O., Mateo, M., Renom, P. (2011). Seasonal response of Posidonia oceanica to light disturbances. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 423(1), 29-38. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08955.
  • Pedersen, M., Serrano Gras, O., Mateo, M., Holmer, M. (2011). Temperature effects on decomposition of a Posidonia oceanica mat. Aquatic Microbial Ecology, 65(2), 169-182. https://doi.org/10.3354/ame01543.
  • Serrano Gras, O., Mateo, M., Dueñas-Bohórquez, A., Renom, P., López-Sáez, J., Martínez Cortizas, A. (2011). The Posidonia oceanica marine sedimentary record: A Holocene archive of heavy metal pollution. Science of the Total Environment, 409(22), 4831-4840. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.08.001.

Research Projects

  • Joint Research Centre for next generation soil carbon systems, Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Australia-China Science and Research Fund Joint Research Centres, 2022 ‑ 2025, $29,870.
  • Glomalin (GRSP) as an indicator of soil health properties, Seasol International, Grant, 2022 ‑ 2024, $3,420.
  • IKI - Conservation of biodiversity, seagrass ecosystems and their services safeguarding food security and resilience in vulnerable coastal communities in a changing climate, German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, International Climate Protection Initiative (IKI), 2020 ‑ 2023, $1,219,735.
  • Changes in seagrass structure and biomass in Western Australia in response to dredging and marine heatwave disturbances, BMT Commercial Australia Pty Ltd, Grant, 2021, $11,616.
  • Blue Carbon Assessment of restored Amphibolis meadow, South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), Grant, 2021, $24,000.
  • Novel approach to understand past and future dynamics in coastal ecosystems, Australian Research Council, Grant - Discovery Early Career Researcher Award, 2017 ‑ 2020, $372,000.
  • Seagrass meadows as metal filters in a high-polluted coastal marine environment, Ecological Society of Australia, Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment, 2017 ‑ 2020, $2,400.
  • Mangroves, seagrass meadows and local communities: development and exchange of experiences linked to the throughout management of biodiversity and services in the Caribbean region (MAPCO), INVEMAR, Grant, 2019 ‑ 2020, $26,922.
  • Coastal Carbon Opportunities: demonstrating additionality and potential for future offsets in South Australia, Goyder Institute, Coastal Carbon Opportunities, 2017 ‑ 2019, $115,593.
  • Carbon sequestration in seagrass meadows in Greece: potential for climate change mitigation, Edith Cowan University, ECU Collaboration Enhancement Scheme - 2018 Round 1, 2018 ‑ 2019, $8,296.
  • Visiting Fellow Ines Mazarrasa Elosegui, Edith Cowan University, Edith Cowan University, School of Science Visiting Fellow Grant Scheme, 2018, $5,000.
  • Australian-wide risk assessment of carbon dioxide emissions from seagrass habitat under current and future global change threats , Edith Cowan University, ECU Collaboration Enhancement Scheme - 2016 Round 1, 2016 ‑ 2017, $6,000.
  • Seagrass archives to reveal environmental history-reconstruction of metals contamination history at Port Pirie (SA)., Ecological Society of Australia, Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment, 2016 ‑ 2017, $7,500.
  • A novel approach to assess pollution in coastal ecosystems, Edith Cowan University, ECU Early Career Researcher Grant - 2015, 2015 ‑ 2016, $24,700.
  • Assessing the capacity of seagrass sediments to sequester carbon dioxide and metal pollution: past, present and future scenarios, Edith Cowan University, ECU Industry Collaboration Grant - 2014 (Round 2), 2014 ‑ 2016, $39,482.
  • Technical Review - Blue Carbon Emissions Reduction Opportunities, Department of Environment Regulation WA, Grant, 2016, $30,000.
  • Organic Carbon Preservation in Estuarine Seagrass Meadows of Western Australia, Ernest Hodgkin Trust, Scholarship, 2012 ‑ 2014, $5,031.

Research Student Supervision

No data available

Principal Supervisor

  • Master of Science (Environmental Management), Carbon storage potential of temperate tidal marsh ecosystems in Western Australia

Co-principal Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Role of seagrasses as biogeochemical sinks and environmental archives

Associate Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Carbon storage and preservation in seagrass meadows
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