BOSTON — If you weren't looking for it, you may miss it.
At Boston's New England Aquarium, amid the large and colorful sights, the penguins to your left and seals straight ahead could carry you away. But for those who take their time looking at each piece of art and listed facts, your eyes will be open to a new exhibit that demonstrates just how fragile our ecosystems can be.
It's called blue carbon. The term is used in a new study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that looks at ways ocean plants can sequester carbon. Carbon sequestration occurs when carbon emissions, which contribute to the impacts of climate change, are taken out of the atmosphere and buried underground in the roots of a plant.
The goal of the exhibit is to show people how carbon is sequestered and which plants in our local bodies of water work to hold that carbon in place. It's a complicated process, but it's at the aquarium where you can find illustrations that make it as digestible as possible.
"One thing we are learning about climate change is there are natural systems in place to restore balance and this is a great example of one of those natural systems," Taylor Engelsman, associate director of content and evaluation at the New England Aquarium, said.
Another way the shallow oceans in New England combat climate change is through salt marshes. However, Engelsman said they wanted to highlight eelgrass because the public doesn't normally see it; the plants are almost always underwater.
"It's a fragile ecosystem because it's basically grass on our ocean floor," Engelsman said. "If there is no plant life holding it in the soil, there is nothing keeping that carbon in there. It's important they stay intact."
She highlighted the need to protect the grass because, while abundant, patches around the Gulf of Maine are threatened.
It's almost ironic how eelgrass can protect us from climate change, but as the waters continue to warm from climate change, that eelgrass can't keep up and risks dying off.
According to a report from Friends of Casco Bay, 54% of all eelgrass meadows in Casco Bay have died off since 2018.
This comes as the 2022 to 2023 winter saw water temps reach 4 degrees above average.
Experts point to not only the warming ocean waters killing off eelgrass but also invasive green crabs that can snip and destroy the grass beds. These green crabs are only getting more common in Maine, as well, which is causing more environmental impacts than just habitat destruction.
Ivy Frignoca with Friends of Casco Bay said if we don't have eelgrass, it won't hold carbon anymore. And if eelgrass dies off, it could even accelerate the climate change process.
"If the eelgrass decomposes and breaks down, it releases carbon dioxide, mixing with seawater and making it more acidic," Frignoca said.
Back at the aquarium, people read paragraphs posted on the exhibit walls that explained how eelgrass is studied and how carbon levels are measured.
Dr. Letise LaFeir, chief of conservation and stewardship with the New England Aquarium, said not only are we seeing the destruction of eelgrass in New England, but it's also the home to the solutions.
"It's great to see this region is bringing more options to combat these issues," LaFeir said.
LaFeir said the focus should remain on studying where development is happening on the coast and make sure to avoid eelgrass beds.
"Protect existing coastal habitats ... restore some of the areas that have already been destroyed," LaFeir said.
Not only do these eelgrass beds protect against climate change, she said, they also serve as nurseries for ocean life, such as juvenile lobsters and other fish. The grassroots also hold the sand down and prevents damage from storm surges.
The exhibit at the New England Aquarium will be up until July.