湛江高桥红树林表层沉积物的粒度空间分布特征

红树林湿地是滨海湿地的一个重要类型,也是重要的沉积库.沉积物是红树林定居与生长的基质,记载着红树林湿地的环境历史,可用于物源分析和沉积过程反演,对于红树林湿地的生态恢复和保护具有重要意义.2011年7月,以湛江国家级红树林自然保护区高桥片区红树林湿地为研究区,沿着水动力梯度进行取样,并基于沉积物粒度分析其表层沉积特征,通过地统计学方法生成预测表面,并结合有机质含量和群落结构进行相关性分析.结果表明:研究区沉积物是以粘、粉粒为主的混合沉积类型,砂粒、粘粒和粉粒平均含量分别为(27.8±15.4)%、(40.3±15.4)%和(32.1±11.4)%;表层沉积特征呈现明显的空间梯度,随着与陆地距离增加,从高潮位到低潮位方向上,沉积物砂粒含量增加,粘粒含量降低.表层沉积的有机质与粉粒含量呈正相关,而与砂粒呈负相关,且在水动力条件弱的高潮位区域,有机质含量高.表层沉积特征在不同群落生境间存在差异,沉积特征与不同红树林群落结构存在一定程度的相关性,反映了水动力条件与红树林之间的复杂关系.     

福建漳江口红树林沉积物重金属汞(Hg)的分布特征

对福建漳江口红树林沉积物中重金属汞(Hg)含量的时空分布进行了研究。结果表明漳江口红树林湿地汞含量为0.0815 mg•kg–1—0.3431 mg•kg–1。在潮间带水平分布上, 从光滩到高潮位汞含量显著上升(P<0.05), 相对光滩, 红树林沉积物更易富集汞, 其中高潮位红树林底泥中汞含量最高。在垂直方向上, 大多数的汞富集在表层及亚表层, 随着深度的加深, 汞含量呈现下降趋势。汞在红树林湿地沉积物中的积累主要与有机碳(TOC), 含水率, 盐度相关。从计算的单一污染指数(Pi)来看, 漳江口地区汞污染等级为Ⅲ级以下, 大多数采样点属于自由污染或轻度污染。就该地区汞污染的时空变化趋势以及和其他红树林区汞污染状况的对比来看, 漳江口地区存在一定程度的汞污染威胁加剧的现象, 值得引起注意。     

模拟氮沉降对华西雨屏区慈竹林土壤活性有机碳库和根生物量的影响

从2008年1月起,对华西雨屏区慈竹(Neosinocalamus affinis)人工林进行了模拟氮沉降试验,氮沉降水平分别为对照(CK,0 g.m-.2a-1)、低氮(5 g.m-.2a-1)、中氮(15 g.m-.2a-1)和高氮(30 g.m-.2a-1)。在模拟氮沉降1.5 a后,按土层深度取土样和根样,测定不同深度土壤活性有机碳含量和根生物量。结果表明,华西雨屏区慈竹林土壤有机碳、微生物量碳、浸提性溶解有机碳和活性碳含量均随土层深度的增加而减少。氮沉降显著减少了土壤微生物量碳和活性碳含量,显著增加了浸提性溶解有机碳含量,并使得土壤碳库管理指数减小。同时,慈竹林根密度在氮沉降条件下减少了12%-14%。说明氮沉降的增加减少了土壤有机碳中的活性部分,增加了土壤有机碳的淋溶流失,降低了慈竹林土壤碳库质量。同时,根系生物量的减少,间接影响了土壤微生物活动和土壤碳周转过程。在未来氮沉降持续增加的背景下,慈竹林土壤对碳的保持能力可能会下降。     

黄河口咸淡水交互作用对芦苇湿地土壤有机碳空间分异的影响

河口湿地具有显著的咸淡水交互特征和长期持续的固碳能力。本研究以黄河口咸淡水交互区芦苇湿地作为研究对象,在弱强度交互区、中等强度交互区、较高强度交互区和高强度交互区布设60个研究点位,分析咸淡水交互作用对土壤有机碳空间分异的影响。结果表明：黄河口咸淡水交互区芦苇湿地面积占比为17.8%,主要分布在弱强度交互区和中等强度交互区。咸淡水交互区芦苇湿地0～60 cm土层有机碳含量在1.09～3.65 g·kg^-1,有机碳密度在1.85～5.84 kg·m^-2,有机碳总储量为(17.32±3.64)×10⁴ t,有机碳含量与密度均随着咸淡水交互作用的增强而降低。咸淡水交互区分区间表层土壤有机碳含量差异显著,随着咸淡水交互强度的增大,表层土壤有机碳含量明显减低。有机碳密度与土壤有机碳、总氮、铵态氮及生物量呈显著正相关,而与盐离子、土壤容重、pH及电导率呈显著负相关。0～30 cm土层有机碳储量占0～60 cm土层有机碳储量的50.9%～64.2%,0～60 cm土层有机碳储量占0～400 cm土层有机碳总储量的19.1%～37.7%...     

滇西北高原纳帕海湿地湖滨带优势植物生物量及其凋落物分解

选取滇西北高原湿地纳帕海湖滨带优势植物茭草(Zizania caducifolia)、水葱(Scirpus tabernaemontani)和刘氏荸荠(Heleocharis liouana),研究其生物量及其凋落物分解特征,结果表明:水葱、茭草、刘氏荸荠为纳帕海湿地湖滨带单优植物群落,均具有较高的地上生物量,不同植物群落地上生物量不同,其中,茭草地上生物量(853.6±58.2)g·m-2·a-1显著高于水葱(730.7±7.8)g·m-2·a-1与刘氏荸荠(338.9±32.6) g·m-2·a-1的地上生物量.3种植物群落凋落物分解速率不同、并随月平均气温升高均呈增加的趋势,其中,刘氏荸荠分解速率k值最大(0.067±0.0026)、茭草(0.062±0.0072)其次、水葱最小(0.039±0.0062).凋落物经过1年的分解,水葱、茭草和刘氏荸荠凋落物存留率分别为(62.0±8.8)％、(47.5±9.0)％和(44.5±7.9)％.综合3种湖滨带植物地上生物量与凋落物年分解,水葱地上生物量年存留量(453.1±4.9)g·m-2·a-1显著高于茭草(405.4±27.7)g·m-2·a-1和刘氏荸荠(150.9±14.5) g·m-2·a-1.研究进一步表明滇西北高原湿地湖滨带植物具有极高的生物量存留率,成为该类型湿地生态系统碳汇功能的基础,其碳汇过程及其贡献率需要进一步深入研究.     

互花米草生物量变化对盐沼沉积物有机碳的影响

以江苏王港典型互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)盐沼湿地为研究对象,分析光滩及互花米草滩沉积物中有机碳的水平和垂向分布特征,了解互花米草生物量的季节动态变化,探讨二者之间的相互关系,在此基础上研究互花米草生物量分布和季节变化对沉积物中有机碳(TOC)含量的影响。结果表明,互花米草枯落物中的有机碳数量在两个月内衰减了40%,而表层沉积物中TOC含量及其中互花米草来源TOC所占比例的变化,均与互花米草地表枯落物量的季节变化存在两个月的"相位差",这与枯落物快速分解时间大致吻合,说明枯落物是表层沉积物中TOC的重要来源。高达60%的互花米草地下生物量分布在0—20cm深度内,该深度范围内沉积物中TOC含量较高,且TOC主要来源于互花米草。此外,不同深度TOC含量与地下生物量之间存在良好的正相关关系,说明地下生物量是影响沉积物TOC含量的重要因子。研究区互花米草年固碳能力为2274g m-2a-1,盐沼沉积物中TOC埋藏速率达到了470 g m-2a-1,是地表一个重要的碳汇;同时研究区每年向近岸水域输出大量的TOC,是近岸海域生态系统的一个重要碳源。     

长江口九段沙盐沼湿地芦苇和互花米草生物量及碳储量

2010-2012年,采用野外采样和实验室测定相结合的方法,研究了长江口九段沙芦苇、互花米草植被带生物量的季节动态和碳储存能力.结果表明:两种植物生物部分(地上、地下、枯立物生物量之和)的有机碳储量均为秋季最高、春季最低.地上活体互花米草单位面积的平均碳储量(445.81 g·m-2)高于芦苇(285.52 g·m-2),芦苇枯立物的平均碳储量(203.15 g·m-2)低于互花米草(315.28 g· m-2),但芦苇区土壤表层(0 ～30 cm)有机碳储量(1048.62 g·m-2)约为互花米草区(583.33 g· m-2)的2倍.芦苇区的碳储存能力(3212.96g· m-2)总体上高于互花米草区(2730.42 g·m-2).表明保护芦苇群落对于维护盐沼湿地的碳汇功能具有重要意义.     

沙田湖人工湿地植物-土壤有机碳库

在人工构建的用于处理水产养殖废水的表面流和水平潜流湿地复合系统中,对湿地植物各组织、湿地表层土壤(0～10 cm)、湿地植物根际土壤的有机碳含量季节变化规律进行研究,并对湿地植物表层土壤和湿地植物对有机碳的固定作用进行了分析.结果表明:湿地植物地上部分组织固定的有机碳含量表现为在生长期迅速增加,8月较高,进入成熟期(11月)后保持稳定,8月有机碳含量与5月有显著性差异、与11月差异不显著;湿地植物地下部分组织固定的有机碳含量低于地上部分,但季节变化与地上部分相似,5月含量最小,8月达到一个较高的值,11月与8月有机碳含量差异不大.植物进入生长期后,湿地表层土壤有机碳含量显著高于湿地上无植物时期,各湿地植物根际土有机碳含量均高于表层土,但差异不显著(睡莲除外).湿地表层土壤有机碳密度介于0.96～1.67 kg·m-2,受植物种类、植物生长季节等因素的影响.根据湿地面积和表层土壤有机碳含量,估算出沙田湖人工湿地(表面流湿地部分面积为3592 m2)0～10 cm土壤有机碳总量为5.61 t,通过植物吸收每年固定的碳量为10.34 t.     

杭州湾滨海湿地土壤有机碳含量及其分布格局

通过研究杭州湾自然潮滩湿地和围垦湿地土壤有机碳含量及其分布格局,揭示湿地植被演替、外来物种入侵和围垦活动对土壤有机碳分布的影响.结果表明:潮滩湿地土壤表层有机碳含量在4.41～8.58 g·kg-1,平均值6.45 g·kg-1.不同植被类型下表层土壤有机碳表现为:芦苇(8.56±0.04 g·kg-1)＞互花米草(7.31±0.08 g·kg-1)＞海三棱蔗草(5.48±0.29 g·kg-1)＞光滩(4.47±0.09 g·kg-1);围垦湿地表层土壤有机碳表现为:20世纪60年代(7.46±0.25 g·kg-1)＞2003年(5.12±0.16 g·kg-1)＞20世纪80年代(1.96±0.46 g·kg-1),即土壤有机碳含量随围垦时间延长表现为先降低后升高的趋势;土壤有机碳在垂直剖面上均表现为由表向下逐渐降低的趋势.潮滩湿地和围垦湿地的土壤有机碳与pH呈显著负相关,与总氮呈显著正相关,表明在土壤中氮主要以有机氮的形态存在.潮滩湿地有机碳与碳氮比相关性不明显,而围垦湿地具有显著正相关性,说明围垦利用对湿地土壤碳氮比产生了一定影响.研究表明,潮滩湿地土壤固碳能力随着植物群落演替逐步增强,而外来入侵种互花米草的大量入侵和扩散将有可能降低潮滩湿地生态系统土壤的储碳功能.围垦引起的土壤水分、颗粒组成的变化以及耕作、土地利用和利用历史是影响围垦湿地土壤有机碳分布的主要原因.     

盐城海滨湿地盐沼植被对土壤碳氮分布特征的影响

在盐城海滨湿地不同植被带下采集土壤样品,研究了土壤有机碳和全氮的空间分布特征,分析了盐沼植物对湿地土壤碳、氮分布的影响.结果表明：在盐城海滨湿地,表层土壤中有机碳和全氮含量分别介于1.71～7.92 g·kg^-1和0.17～0.36 g·kg^-1之间,变幅较大,不同植被带之间存在显著差异,且各植被带表层土壤中有机碳、全氮含量均高于光滩.垂直方向上,各植被带土壤中有机碳、全氮的分布均呈自表向下逐渐降低的趋势,15 cm以下其含量基本保持稳定.土壤有机碳与全氮、碳氮比呈显著正相关,但全氮与碳氮比无显著相关性.     

Factors regulating carbon sinks in mangrove ecosystems

Mangroves are recognized as one of the richest carbon storage systems. However, the factors regulating carbon sinks in mangrove ecosystems are still unclear, particularly in the subtropical mangroves. The biomass, production, litterfall, detrital export and decomposition of the dominant mangrove vegetation in subtropical (Kandelia obovata) and tropical (Avicennia marina) Taiwan were quantified from October 2011 to July 2014 to construct the carbon budgets. Despite the different tree species, a principal component analysis revealed the site or environmental conditions had a greater influence than the tree species on the carbon processes. For both species, the net production (NP) rates ranged from 10.86 to 27.64 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1 and were higher than the global average rate due to the high tree density. While most of the litterfall remained on the ground, a high percentage (72%–91%) of the ground litter decomposed within 1 year and fluxed out of the mangroves. However, human activities might cause a carbon flux into the mangroves and a lower NP rate. The rates of the organic carbon export and soil heterotrophic respiration were greater than the global mean values and those at other locations. Only a small percentage (3%–12%) of the NP was stored in the sediment. The carbon burial rates were much lower than the global average rate due to their faster decomposition, indicating that decomposition played a critical role in determining the burial rate in the sediment. The summation of the organic and inorganic carbon fluxes and soil heterotrophic respiration well exceeded the amount of litter decomposition, indicating an additional source of organic carbon that was unaccounted for by decomposition in the sediment. Sediment‐stable isotope analyses further suggest that the trapping of organic matter from upstream rivers or adjacent waters contributed more to the mangrove carbon sinks than the actual production of the mangrove trees.     

The nematode fauna of a temperate Australian mangrove mudflat; its population density,diversity and distribution

The nematode fauna of an estuarine mangrove Avicennia marina mudflat in Southeastern Australia has been intensively studied. About 85% of the nematodes occur in the top cm of soft mud, but 5–7 species inhabit the deeper anoxic mud down to 10 cm, both at low and high tide. One square metre was intensively sampled from four zones with different nematode faunas. At the low tide zone 58% of the nematodes were epistrate feeders, including many diatom-feeders, but in the mangrove zone selective microbial feeders made up over 60% of the population, while between high water neap and high water spring, above the mangrove zone, omnivore/predators and plant root feeding nematodes increased in relative importance. Random replicate cores reliably sampled species occurrence, but gave a high variance in density estimates. Replicate aliquots from homogenised mud gave lower density variance. Nematode densities (maximum 5 × 10⁶ m^-2) were not as high as have been reported from non-mangrove estuaries in other countries, but were within the range found in mangroves elsewhere in Australia. Margalef Species Richness values ranged from 1.7 to 3.89, which is similar to values found in other mangroves mudflats in Australia. Nematode biomass ranged from 888 mg dry weight m² (383 mg C m^-2) at the low tide zone to 19 mg dry weight m^-2 (8 mg C m^-2) at the upper tide level.     

Mangroves buffer marine protected area from impacts of Bovoni Landfill,St. Thomas,United States Virgin Islands

One of the many ecosystem services that mangrove systems provide is their ability to act as buffers between the land and sea, protecting human development from storm surges while also trapping terrestrial pollutants. In St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, an ecologically-important mangrove system sits between Bovoni Landfill and a marine protected area, the St. Thomas East End Reserves. To characterize the physical processes driving this mangrove system, groundwater hydraulic head, sediment cores, sediment surface temperatures, and water and sediment chemistry were analyzed. Hydraulic head data from January to November 2014 were used to determine vertical and horizontal groundwater flow directions. Water and sediment samples were tested for heavy metals potentially originating from Bovoni Landfill. Stratigraphic context was provided by the sediment cores and used to infer past environmental conditions. Subsamples were taken from these cores and analyzed for dry bulk density, organic matter content (through loss on ignition), and heavy metals using electron microscopy. Vertical groundwater velocity and sediment porosity were determined by calibrating a one-dimensional finite difference heat transport model to near surface temperature data from depths of 0, 7, 14, and 21 cm. Groundwater was found to flow from the terrestrial upland, through the mangroves, and toward the ocean for the majority of the study. Flow reversal was seen after long periods of little precipitation. In the surface and shallow groundwater samples, trace metal concentrations were measured from 23 to 105 μg/L for Cr, Ni, Sn, and Zn. Sediment samples collected near the landfill contained Bi, Cr, Sn, Ti, and Zn. Very slow flushing of sediment pore water was indicated by the vertical groundwater velocities produced from the heat transport model, which ranged from ±10^–7 to ±10^–9 m/s. This study revealed that the mangrove system is an important buffer system protecting the outer lagoon of the marine protected area from terrestrial contaminants via sediment trapping and slowing of water fluxes from the upland area into the lagoon. The results presented here can be used as a baseline for future studies and are relevant to local managers and to landfill closure plans.     

Processes of organic carbon in mangrove ecosystems

In addition to carbon accumulation in plants, processes of organic carbon in mangrove ecosystems include origins of sediment organic carbon, carbon fluxes between mangroves and their adjacent systems (coastal waters and atmosphere), and cycling processes. Sediment organic carbon originates from suspending solids in coastal waters, mangrove plants and benthic algae. In mangroves with low organic carbon content in sediments, tidal seawater is the main origin of sediment organic carbon, while in mangroves with high sediment organic carbon contents, sediment organic carbon mainly originates from mangrove plants. Due to tidal flush, there is large material exchange between mangrove ecosystems and their adjacent coastal waters. In China, exports of organic carbon in litter falls and dissolved organic carbon from mangroves to their adjacent coastal waters have not been documented. Processes of mangrove litter falls, including production, decomposition, export and animal consumption, determine linkages among organic carbon among mangrove plants, secondary production and coastal ocean. Consumers especially benthic animals may influence organic carbon in mangrove ecosystems, because (1) their consumption rates are high, and their selective feeding on some food sources will change the relative quantities of export, bury and mineralization of organic carbon from different origins; (2) their consumption is much more than assimilation, resulting in the changes in sizes, forms and qualities of non-assimilated organic matters, and then the changes in availability of export, consumption or mineralization of organic carbon. Respiration and sulfate reduction are important mineralization processes of organic carbon in mangrove sediments. Mineralization rates of organic carbon in mangrove sediments are influenced by quantities, activities and particle sizes of organic matters, and other factors such as forest ages, root activities and animal burrowing activities. Researches on processes of mangrove organic carbon should be based on open systems, and ecological processes of organic carbon should be coupled with vegetation restoration.     

Processes of organic carbon in mangrove ecosystems

In addition to carbon accumulation in plants, processes of organic carbon in mangrove ecosystems include origins of sediment organic carbon, carbon fluxes between mangroves and their adjacent systems (coastal waters and atmosphere), and cycling processes. Sediment organic carbon originates from suspending solids in coastal waters, mangrove plants and benthic algae. In mangroves with low organic carbon content in sediments, tidal seawater is the main origin of sediment organic carbon, while in mangroves with high sediment organic carbon contents, sediment organic carbon mainly originates from mangrove plants. Due to tidal flush, there is large material exchange between mangrove ecosystems and their adjacent coastal waters. In China, exports of organic carbon in litter falls and dissolved organic carbon from mangroves to their adjacent coastal waters have not been documented. Processes of mangrove litter falls, including production, decomposition, export and animal consumption, determine linkages among organic carbon among mangrove plants, secondary production and coastal ocean. Consumers especially benthic animals may influence organic carbon in mangrove ecosystems, because (1) their consumption rates are high, and their selective feeding on some food sources will change the relative quantities of export, bury and mineralization of organic carbon from different origins; (2) their consumption is much more than assimilation, resulting in the changes in sizes, forms and qualities of non-assimilated organic matters, and then the changes in availability of export, consumption or mineralization of organic carbon. Respiration and sulfate reduction are important mineralization processes of organic carbon in mangrove sediments. Mineralization rates of organic carbon in mangrove sediments are influenced by quantities, activities and particle sizes of organic matters, and other factors such as forest ages, root activities and animal burrowing activities. Researches on processes of mangrove organic carbon should be based on open systems, and ecological processes of organic carbon should be coupled with vegetation restoration.     

Non‐native mangroves support carbon storage,sediment carbon burial,and accretion of coastal ecosystems

Mangrove forests play an important role in climate change adaptation and mitigation by maintaining coastline elevations relative to sea level rise, protecting coastal infrastructure from storm damage, and storing substantial quantities of carbon (C) in live and detrital pools. Determining the efficacy of mangroves in achieving climate goals can be complicated by difficulty in quantifying C inputs (i.e., differentiating newer inputs from younger trees from older residual C pools), and mitigation assessments rarely consider potential offsets to CO₂ storage by methane (CH₄) production in mangrove sediments. The establishment of non‐native Rhizophora mangle along Hawaiian coastlines over the last century offers an opportunity to examine the role mangroves play in climate mitigation and adaptation both globally and locally as novel ecosystems. We quantified total ecosystem C storage, sedimentation, accretion, sediment organic C burial and CH₄ emissions from ~70 year old R. mangle stands and adjacent uninvaded mudflats. Ecosystem C stocks of mangrove stands exceeded mudflats by 434 ± 33 Mg C/ha, and mangrove establishment increased average coastal accretion by 460%. Sediment organic C burial increased 10‐fold (to 4.5 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1), double the global mean for old growth mangrove forests, suggesting that C accumulation from younger trees may occur faster than previously thought, with implications for mangrove restoration. Simulations indicate that increased CH₄ emissions from sediments offset ecosystem CO₂ storage by only 2%–4%, equivalent to 30–60 Mg CO₂‐eq/ha over mangrove lifetime (100 year sustained global warming potential). Results highlight the importance of mangroves as novel systems that can rapidly accumulate C, have a net positive atmospheric greenhouse gas removal effect, and support shoreline accretion rates that outpace current sea level rise. Sequestration potential of novel mangrove forests should be taken into account when considering their removal or management, especially in the context of climate mitigation goals.     

Long-term retrospection on mangrove development using sediment cores and pollen analysis: A review

Mangroves are biogenic systems that accumulate sedimentary sequences, where cores can provide records of mangrove species variation in distribution with past climate change and sea-level change. Fossil evidence used for palaeoecological reconstruction is based on organic remains that preserve identifying features so that they can be identified to generic levels at least. This includes macrofossils such as fruit, flowers, wood or leaves, or microfossils particularly pollen. Anaerobic conditions in mangrove sediment allow the long-term preservation of these fossil records. Fossil pollen from core samples is concentrated for microscopic examination by use of standard chemical treatments, but refinements of these are necessary for the peculiarities of mangrove peat. Pollen diagrams are expressed in concentrations, or more usefully in mangrove environments as proportions relative to others, as this has been shown to demonstrate the depositional environment actually underneath the mangrove forest. Radiocarbon dating of sedimentary sequences is used to date palaeoecological successions shown by fossil sequences, or long-term sedimentation rates. Sediment accretion in the last 50–200 years can been analysed better using Cs¹³⁷ and Pb²¹⁰ analyses. From pollen and macrofossils mostly recovered from stratigraphic cores of sedimentary rock and more recent sediment, the evolution and dispersal of mangroves through geological time has been reconstructed. While reconstruction of actual temperatures in these earlier records is associative to the fossil types present, it is apparent that mangroves have always been tropical species, extending to higher latitudes only during global warm periods. Many sedimentary records show mangroves deeper than the present lower limit of mangrove growth at mean sea-level. These indicate sea-level rising over time, and mangroves keeping pace with rising sea-level. Stratigraphic dating shows accretion rates of 1 mm a⁻¹ for low island locations, and up to 1.5 mm a⁻¹ in high islands/continental margins. Sedimentary records can also show die-off of mangroves with more rapid sea-level rise and replacement by open water during rising sea-level, landward retreat of mangrove zones, or replacement of mangroves by freshwater forest with sedimentary infill. The causes of mangrove community changes identified in the palaeoecological record can only be inferred by comparison with ecological studies in the modern environment, the link between the two that may be possible through long-term mangrove monitoring being poorly established.     

Distribution and Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matter in Mangrove Sediment Pore Waters along the Coastline of French Guiana

Mangroves represent a major environment of tropical coasts. They are highly productive, and act both as a source and a sink of organic carbon. Concentrations and characteristics (fluorescence and hydrophobic–hydrophilic fractions) of dissolved organic matter (DOM) were investigated in relation to the organic content of sediments and to the chemistry of pore waters along the coastline of French Guiana. The pore waters studied were extracted (centrifugation, soil moisture sampler) from sediments cored beneath A. germinans mangrove stands representative of development stages: pioneer, mature and senescent. In order to asses the effects of seasonal changes, two cores were performed in each location, just after dry and wet seasons, respectively. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in pore waters of the upper sediment were found to increase, from 0.7 mmol l⁻¹ under the pioneers to 9 under senescent mangroves. The evolution of sedimentary organic carbon (SedOC) in the same sediment paralleled that of DOC, increasing from 0.7 to 28%. On the contrary, in the lower parts of sediment cores SedOC and DOC displayed contrasting vertical trends: SedOC decreased sharply with depth while DOC increased, reaching concentrations up to 30 mmol l⁻¹ at 50 cm in the older, senescent mangroves. In addition, the Fluorescence/DOC ratios and the hydrophobic contents of DOC were higher at greater depths in most cores, expressing changes in the DOC composition. These results suggest that the DOC of the upper layers originated directly from the SedOC of the enclosing sediment, while the hydrophobic and fluorescent DOC accumulated in the anoxic bottom layer. The mechanisms responsible for this accumulation at depth requires additional research to be fully understood. However, the anoxic conditions and high pH values prevailing in the lower sediment, by lessening DOM sorption and enhancing SedOC dissolution, may be partly responsible for the high DOC concentrations and fluorescences at depth. In addition, seasonal variation may be involved. During the rainy season, water sources were mixed resulting in lower DOC concentrations in the upper sediment, whereas during the dry season, increased evapotranspiration concentrate salts and DOC, which are transported vertically with percolating water.     

Global mangrove root production,its controls and roles in the blue carbon budget of mangroves

Mangroves are among the most carbon-dense ecosystems worldwide. Most of the carbon in mangroves is found belowground, and root production might be an important control of carbon accumulation, but has been rarely quantified and understood at the global scale. Here, we determined the global mangrove root production rate and its controls using a systematic review and a recently formalised, spatially explicit mangrove typology framework based on geomorphological settings. We found that global mangrove root production averaged ~770 ± 202 g of dry biomass m⁻² year⁻¹ globally, which is much higher than previously reported and close to the root production of the most productive tropical forests. Geomorphological settings exerted marked control over root production together with air temperature and precipitation (r² ≈ 30%, p < .001). Our review shows that individual global changes (e.g. warming, eutrophication, drought) have antagonist effects on root production, but they have rarely been studied in combination. Based on this newly established root production rate, root-derived carbon might account for most of the total carbon buried in mangroves, and 19 Tg C lost in mangroves each year (e.g. as CO₂). Inclusion of root production measurements in understudied geomorphological settings (i.e. deltas), regions (Indonesia, South America and Africa) and soil depth (>40 cm), as well as the creation of a mangrove root trait database will push forward our understanding of the global mangrove carbon cycle for now and the future. Overall, this review presents a comprehensive analysis of root production in mangroves, and highlights the central role of root production in the global mangrove carbon budget.