Comparing carbon sequestration in temperate freshwater wetland communities

High productivity and waterlogged conditions make many freshwater wetlands significant carbon sinks. Most wetland carbon studies focus on boreal peatlands, however, with less attention paid to other climates and to the effects of hydrogeomorphic settings and the importance of wetland vegetation communities on carbon sequestration. This study compares six temperate wetland communities in Ohio that belong to two distinct hydrogeomorphic types: an isolated depressional wetland site connected to the groundwater table, and a riverine flow‐through wetland site that receives water from an agricultural watershed. Three cores were extracted in each community and analyzed for total carbon content to determine the soil carbon pool. Sequestration rates were determined by radiometric dating with ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb on a set of composite cores extracted in each of the six communities. Cores were also extracted in uplands adjacent to the wetlands at each site. Wetland communities had accretion rates ranging from 3.0 to 6.2 mm yr^?1. The depressional wetland sites had higher (P < 0.001) organic content (146 ± 4.2 gC kg^?1) and lower (P < 0.001) bulk density (0.55 ± 0.01 Mg m^?3) than the riverine ones (50.1 ± 6.9 gC kg^?1 and 0.74 ± 0.06 Mg m^?3). The soil carbon was 98–99% organic in the isolated depressional wetland communities and 85–98% organic in the riverine ones. The depressional wetland communities sequestered 317 ± 93 gC m^?2 yr^?1, more (P < 0.01) than the riverine communities that sequestered 140 ± 16 gC m^?2 yr^?1. The highest sequestration rate was found in the Quercus palustris forested wetland community (473 gC m^?2 yr^?1), while the wetland community dominated by water lotus (Nelumbo lutea) was the most efficient of the riverine communities, sequestering 160 gC m^?2 yr^?1. These differences in sequestration suggest the importance of addressing wetland types and communities in more detail when assessing the role of wetlands as carbon sequestering systems in global carbon budgets.     

Carbon sequestration in freshwater wetlands in Costa Rica and Botswana

Tropical wetlands are typically productive ecosystems that can introduce large amounts of carbon into the soil. However, high temperatures and seasonal water availability can hinder the ability of wetland soils to sequester carbon efficiently. We determined the carbon sequestration rate of 12 wetland communities in four different tropical wetlands—an isolated depressional wetland in a rainforest, and a slow flowing rainforest swamp, a riverine flow-through wetland with a marked wet and dry season, a seasonal floodplain of an inland delta—with the intention of finding conditions that favor soil carbon accumulation in tropical wetlands. Triplicate soil cores were extracted in these communities and analyzed for total carbon content to determine the wetland soil carbon pool. We found that the humid tropic wetlands had greater carbon content (P ≤ 0.05) than the tropical dry ones (96.5 and 34.8 g C kg^?1, respectively). While the dry tropic wetlands had similar sequestration rates (63 ± 10 g Cm^?2 y^?1 on average), the humid tropic ones differed significantly (P < 0.001), with high rates in a slow-flowing slough (306 ± 77 g Cm^?2 y^?1) and low rates in a tropical rain forest depressional wetland (84 ± 23 g Cm^?2 y^?1). The carbon accumulating in all of these wetlands was mostly organic (92–100%). These results suggest the importance of differentiating between types of wetland communities and their hydrology when estimating overall rates at which tropical wetlands sequester carbon, and the need to include tropical wetland carbon sequestration in global carbon budgets.     

Differential soil organic carbon storage at forb- and grass-dominated plant communities, 33 years after tallgrass prairie restoration

Background and aims

Dominance of C₄ grasses has been proposed as a means of increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in restored tallgrass prairies. However, this hypothesis has not been tested on long time scales and under realistic (e.g. N-limited) environmental conditions. We sampled a restoration in southern Illinois 33 years after establishment to determine the effects of varying plant communities on SOC sequestration in the top 50 cm of soil.

Methods

SOC, total nitrogen (TN), and the stable isotopic composition of SOC (δ¹³C) were used to calculate SOC sequestration rates, N storage, and the relative contributions of C₃ vs. C₄ plant communities as a function of soil depth.

Results

While both a forb-dominated and a mixed forb-grass plant community showed positive sequestration rates (0.56?±?0.13 and 0.27?±?0.10 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1, respectively), a C₄ grass-dominated community showed SOC losses after 33 years of restoration (?0.31?±?0.08 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1). Soil δ¹³C values were significantly more negative for forb-dominated plant communities, increasing the confidence that plant communities were stable over time and an important contributor to differences in SOC stocks among transects.

Conclusion

These results suggest that functional diversity may be necessary to sustain sequestration rates on the scale of decades, and that dominance of C₄ grasses, favored by frequent burning, may lead to SOC losses over time.     

Plant and soil responses of an alpine steppe on the Tibetan Plateau to multi-level nitrogen addition

Background

Although plant growth in alpine steppes on the Tibetan Plateau has been suggested to be sensitive to nitrogen (N) addition, the N limitation conditions of alpine steppes remain uncertain.

Methods

After 2 years of fertilization with NH₄NO₃ at six rates (0, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1), the responses of plant and soil parameters as well as N₂O fluxes were measured.

Results

At the vegetation level, N addition resulted in an increase in the aboveground N pool from 0.5?±?0.1 g m^?2 in the control plots to 1.9?±?0.2 g m^?2 in the plots at the highest N input rate. The aboveground C pool, biomass N concentration, foliar δ¹⁵N, soil NO₃ ^?-N and N₂O flux were also increased by N addition. However, as the N fertilization rate increased from 10 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1 to 160 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1, the N-use efficiency decreased from 12.3?±?4.6 kg C kg N^?1 to 1.6?±?0.2 kg C kg N^?1, and the N-uptake efficiency decreased from 43.2?±?9.7 % to 9.1?±?1.1 %. Biomass N:P ratios increased from 14.4?±?2.6 in the control plots to 20.5?±?0.8 in the plots with the highest N input rate. Biomass N:P ratios, N-uptake efficiency and N-use efficiency flattened out at 40 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1. Above this level, soil NO₃ ^?-N began to accumulate. The seasonal average N₂O flux of growing season nonlinearly increased with increased N fertilization rate and linearly increased with the weighted average foliar δ¹⁵N. At the species level, N uptake responses to relative N availability were species-specific. Biomass N concentration of seven out of the eight non-legume species increased significantly with N fertilization rates, while Kobresia macrantha and the one legume species (Oxytropics glacialis) remained stable. Both the non-legume and the legume species showed significant ¹⁵N enrichment with increasing N fertilization rate. All non-legume species showed significant increased N:P ratios with increased N fertilization rate, but not the legume species.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the Tibetan alpine steppes might be N-saturated above a critical N load of 40 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1. For the entire Tibetan Plateau (ca. 2.57 million km²), a low N deposition rate (10 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1) could enhance plant growth, and stimulate aboveground N and C storage by at least 1.1?±?0.3 Tg N yr^?1 and 31.5?±?11.8 Tg C yr^?1, respectively. The non-legume species was N-limited, but the legume species was not limited by N.     

Spatial and temporal dynamics of diffusive methane emissions in the Okavango Delta,northern Botswana,Africa

Global warming is associated with the continued increase in the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases; carbon dioxide, methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide. Wetlands constitute the largest single natural source of atmospheric CH₄ in the world contributing between 100 and 231 Tg year^?1 to the total budget of 503–610 Tg year^?1, approximately 60 % of which is emitted from tropical wetlands. We conducted diffusive CH₄ emission measurements using static chambers in river channels, floodplains and lagoons in permanent and seasonal swamps in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Diffusive CH₄ emission rates varied between 0.24 and 293 mg CH₄ m^?2 h^?1, with a mean (±SE) emission of 23.2 ± 2.2 mg CH₄ m^?2 h^?1 or 558 ± 53 mg CH₄ m^?2 day^?1. These emission rates lie within the range reported for other tropical wetlands. The emission rates were significantly higher (P < 0.007) in permanent than in seasonal swamps. River channels exhibited the highest average fluxes at 31.3 ± 5.4 mg CH₄ m^?2 h^?1 than in floodplains (20.4 ± 2.5 mg CH₄ m^?2 h^?1) and lagoons (16.9 ± 2.6 mg CH₄ m^?2 h^?1). Diffusive CH₄ emissions in the Delta were probably regulated by temperature since emissions were highest (20–300 mg CH₄ m^?2 h^?1) and lowest (0.2–3.0 mg m^?2 h^?1) during the warmer-rainy and cooler winter seasons, respectively. Surface water temperatures between December 2010 and January 2012 varied from 15.3 °C in winter to 33 °C in summer. Assuming mean inundation of 9,000 km², the Delta’s annual diffusive emission was estimated at 1.8 ± 0.2 Tg, accounting for 2.8 ± 0.3 % of the total CH₄ emission from global tropical wetlands.     

Bacterial endophytes and root hairs

Aims

This study aimed to measure the effect of plant diversity on N uptake in grasslands and to assess the mechanisms contributing to diversity effects.

Methods

Annual N uptake into above- and belowground organs and soil nitrate pools were measured in the Jena experiment on a floodplain soil with mixtures of 2–16 species and 1–4 functional groups, and monocultures. In mixtures, the deviation of measured data from data expected from monoculture performance was calculated to assess the contribution of complementarity/facilitation and selection.

Results

N uptake varied from <1 to 45 g?N m^?2 yr^?1, and was higher in grasslands with than without legumes. On average, N uptake was higher in mixtures (21?±?1 g?N m^?2 yr^?1) than monocultures (13?±?1 g?N m^?2 yr^?1), and increased with species richness in mixtures. However, compared to N uptake expected from biomass proportions of species in mixtures, N uptake of mixtures was only slightly higher and a significant surplus N uptake was confined to mixtures containing legumes and non-legumes.

Conclusions

In our study, high N uptake of species rich mixtures was mainly due to dominance of productive species and facilitation by legumes whereas complementarity among non-legumes was of minor relevance.     

Climatic variability,hydrologic anomaly,and methane emission can turn productive freshwater marshes into net carbon sources

Freshwater marshes are well‐known for their ecological functions in carbon sequestration, but complete carbon budgets that include both methane (CH₄) and lateral carbon fluxes for these ecosystems are rarely available. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first full carbon balance for a freshwater marsh where vertical gaseous [carbon dioxide (CO₂) and CH₄] and lateral hydrologic fluxes (dissolved and particulate organic carbon) have been simultaneously measured for multiple years (2011–2013). Carbon accumulation in the sediments suggested that the marsh was a long‐term carbon sink and accumulated ~96.9 ± 10.3 (±95% CI) g C m^?2 yr^?1 during the last ~50 years. However, abnormal climate conditions in the last 3 years turned the marsh to a source of carbon (42.7 ± 23.4 g C m^?2 yr^?1). Gross ecosystem production and ecosystem respiration were the two largest fluxes in the annual carbon budget. Yet, these two fluxes compensated each other to a large extent and led to the marsh being a CO₂ sink in 2011 (?78.8 ± 33.6 g C m^?2 yr^?1), near CO₂‐neutral in 2012 (29.7 ± 37.2 g C m^?2 yr^?1), and a CO₂ source in 2013 (92.9 ± 28.0 g C m^?2 yr^?1). The CH₄ emission was consistently high with a three‐year average of 50.8 ± 1.0 g C m^?2 yr^?1. Considerable hydrologic carbon flowed laterally both into and out of the marsh (108.3 ± 5.4 and 86.2 ± 10.5 g C m^?2 yr^?1, respectively). In total, hydrologic carbon fluxes contributed ~23 ± 13 g C m^?2 yr^?1 to the three‐year carbon budget. Our findings highlight the importance of lateral hydrologic inflows/outflows in wetland carbon budgets, especially in those characterized by a flow‐through hydrologic regime. In addition, different carbon fluxes responded unequally to climate variability/anomalies and, thus, the total carbon budgets may vary drastically among years.     

Annual nitrous oxide emissions from open-air and greenhouse vegetable cropping systems in China

Aims

A field experiment was conducted to quantify annual nitrous oxide (N₂O) fluxes from control and fertilized plots under open-air and greenhouse vegetable cropping systems in southeast China. We compiled the reported global field annual N₂O flux measurements to estimate the emission factor of N fertilizer for N₂O and its background emissions from vegetable fields.

Methods

Fluxes of N₂O were measured using static chamber-GC techniques over the 2010–2011 annual cycle with multiple cropping seasons.

Results

The mean annual N₂O fluxes from the controls were 46.1?±?2.3 μg N₂O-N m^?2 hr^?1 and 68.3?±?4.1 μg N₂O-N m^?2 hr^?1 in the open-air and greenhouse vegetable systems, respectively. For the plots receiving 900 kg?N?ha^?1, annual N₂O emissions averaged 90.6?±?8.9 μg N₂O-N m^?2 hr^?1 and 106.4?±?6.6 μg N₂O-N?m^?2 hr^?1 in the open-air and greenhouse vegetable systems, respectively. By pooling published field N₂O flux measurements taken over or close to a full year, the N₂O emission factor for N fertilizer averaged 0.63?±?0.09 %, with a background emission of 2.67?±?0.80 kg N₂O-N ha^?1 in Chinese vegetable fields. Annual N₂O emissions from Chinese vegetable systems were estimated to be 84.7 Gg N₂O-N yr^?1, consisting of 72.5 Gg N₂O-N yr^?1 and 12.2 Gg N₂O-N yr^?1 in the open-air and greenhouse vegetable systems, respectively.

Conclusions

While N₂O emissions from the greenhouse vegetable cropping system tended to be slightly higher compared to the open-air system in our experiment, the synthesis of literature data suggests that N₂O emissions would be greater at low N-rates but smaller at high N-rates in greenhouse systems than in open-air vegetable cropping systems. The estimates of this study suggest that vegetable cropping systems covering 11.4 % in national total cropping area, contributed 21–25 % to the total N₂O emission from Chinese croplands.     

Living Shorelines: Coastal Resilience with a Blue Carbon Benefit

Living shorelines are a type of estuarine shoreline erosion control that incorporates native vegetation and preserves native habitats. Because they provide the ecosystem services associated with natural coastal wetlands while also increasing shoreline resilience, living shorelines are part of the natural and hybrid infrastructure approach to coastal resiliency. Marshes created as living shorelines are typically narrow (< 30 m) fringing marshes with sandy substrates that are well flushed by tides. These characteristics distinguish living shorelines from the larger meadow marshes in which most of the current knowledge about created marshes was developed. The value of living shorelines for providing both erosion control and habitat for estuarine organisms has been documented but their capacity for carbon sequestration has not. We measured carbon sequestration rates in living shorelines and sandy transplanted Spartina alterniflora marshes in the Newport River Estuary, North Carolina. The marshes sampled here range in age from 12 to 38 years and represent a continuum of soil development. Carbon sequestration rates ranged from 58 to 283 g C m^-2 yr^-1 and decreased with marsh age. The pattern of lower sequestration rates in older marshes is hypothesized to be the result of a relative enrichment of labile organic matter in younger sites and illustrates the importance of choosing mature marshes for determination of long-term carbon sequestration potential. The data presented here are within the range of published carbon sequestration rates for S. alterniflora marshes and suggest that wide-scale use of the living shoreline approach to shoreline management may come with a substantial carbon benefit.     

Root dynamics of Carex stricta-dominated tussock meadows

Background and aims

The roots of tussock-forming plants contribute to the formation of microtopographic features in many ecosystems, but the dynamics of such roots are poorly understood. We examined the spatial heterogeneity of tussock fine root dynamics to investigate allocation patterns and the role of root productivity in the persistence of tussock structures.

Methods

We compared the spatial variability of fine root (<1 mm, 1–2 mm) density, biomass, % live, allocation, turnover rate (using bomb 14C), and productivity of four Carex stricta Lam.-dominated tussock meadows in the upper Midwest, USA (3 reference, 1 restored site).

Results

Relative to underlying microsites, tussocks were warm, dry, and high in root density, productivity, % live biomass, and turnover. Root productivity averaged 649 g?m^?2 yr^?1 (±208) in reference sites, comprised 57 % (±10) of total net production, and was concentrated in tussocks (70 %?±?4). Root turnover rate averaged 0.63 yr^?1 (±0.08), but tussocks had ~50 % faster root turnover than the underlying soil, and <1 mm roots turned over ~40 % faster than 1–2 mm roots.

Conclusions

Our detailed analysis of the spatial heterogeneity of tussock root dynamics suggests that high allocation and elevated turnover of tussock roots facilitates organic matter accumulation and tussock persistence over time.     

Temporal patterns of net soil N mineralization and nitrification through secondary succession in the subtropical forests of eastern China

Linking temporal trends of soil nitrogen (N) transformation with shifting patterns of plants and consequently changes of litter quality during succession is important for understanding developmental patterns of ecosystem function. However, the successional direction of soil N mineralization and nitrification in relation to species shifts in the subtropical regions remains little studied. In this study, successional patterns of net soil N mineralization and nitrification rates, litter-fall, forest floor litter, fine root and soil properties were quantified through a successional sequence in the subtropical forests of eastern China. Net N mineralization rate was ‘U-shaped’ through succession: highest in climax evergreen broad-leaved forest (CE: 1.6?±?0.2 mg-N kg^?1 yr^?1) and secondary shrubs (SS: 1.4?±?0.2 mg-N kg^?1 yr^?1), lowest in conifer and evergreen broad-leaved mixed forest (MF: 1.1?±?0.1 mg-N kg^?1 yr^?1) and intermediate in conifer forest (CF: 1.2?±?0.1 mg-N kg^?1 yr^?1) and sub-climax forest (SE: 1.2?±?0.2 mg-N kg^?1 yr^?1). Soil nitrification increased with time (0.02?±?0.1, 0.2?±?0.1, 0.5?±?0.1, 0.2?±?0.1, and 0.6?±?0.1 mg-N kg^?1 yr^?1 in SS, CF, MF, SE and CE, respectively). Annual production of litter?fall increased through succession. Fine root stocks and total N concentration, soil total N, total carbon (C) and microbial biomass C also followed ‘U?shaped’ temporal trends in succession. Soil bulk density was highest in MF, lowest in CE, and intermediate in SS, CF and SE. Soil pH was significantly lowest in CE. Temporal patterns of soil N mineralization and nitrification were significant related to the growth of conifers (i.e. Pinus massoniana) and associated successional changes of litter-fall, forest floor, fine roots and soil properties. We concluded that, due to lower litter quality, the position of Pinus massoniana along the succession pathway played an important role in controlling temporal trends of soil N transformation.     

Gross primary productivity of phytoplankton and planktonic respiration in inland floodplain wetlands of southeast Australia: habitat-dependent patterns and regulating processes

Gross primary productivity (GPP) of phytoplankton and planktonic respiration (PR) (i.e., planktonic metabolism) are critical pathways for carbon transformation in many aquatic ecosystems. In inland floodplain wetlands with variable inundation regimes, quantitative measurements of GPP and PR are rare and their relationships with wetland environmental conditions are largely unknown. We measured PR and the GPP of phytoplankton using light and dark biological oxygen demand bottles in open waters of channel and non-channel floodplain habitats of inland floodplain wetlands of southeast Australia that had been inundated by environmental water. Overall, GPP varied from 3.7 to 405.5 mg C m^?3 h^?1 (mean ± standard error: 89.4 ± 9.2 mg C m^?3 h^?1, n = 81), PR from 1.5 to 251.6 mg C m^?3 h^?1 (43.2 ± 5.6 mg C m^?3 h^?1, n = 81), and GPP/PR from 0.2 to 15.6 (3.0 ± 0.3, n = 81). In terms of wetland environmental conditions, total nitrogen (TN) ranged from 682.0 to 14,700.0 mg m^?3 (mean ± standard error: 2,643.0 ± 241.6 mg m^?3, n = 81), total phosphorus (TP) from 48.0 to 1,405.0 mg m^?3 (316.8 ± 31.4 mg m^?3, n = 81), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from 1.9 to 46.3 g m^?3 (22.0 ± 1.6 g m^?3, n = 81). Using ordinary least-squares multiple regression analyses, the rates of GPP and PR, and their ratio (GPP/PR) were modeled as a function of TN, TP, and DOC that had been measured concomitantly. The “best” models predicted GPP and GPP/PR ratio in channel habitats as a function of DOC; and GPP, PR, and GPP/PR in non-channel floodplain habitats as a function of TN and/or TP. The models explained between 46 and 74 % of the variance in channel habitats and between 17 and 87 % of the variance in non-channel floodplain habitats. Net autotrophy (mean GPP/PR 3.0) of planktonic metabolism in our work supports the prevailing view that wetlands are a net sink for carbon dioxide. We propose a nutrient-DOC framework, combined with hydrological and geomorphological delineations, to better predict and understand the planktonic metabolism in inland floodplain wetlands.     

Ecosystem–atmosphere exchange of CH4 and N2O and ecosystem respiration in wetlands in the Sanjiang Plain, Northeastern China

Natural wetlands are critically important to global change because of their role in modulating atmospheric concentrations of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O. One 4‐year continuous observation was conducted to examine the exchanges of CH₄ and N₂O between three wetland ecosystems and the atmosphere as well as the ecosystem respiration in the Sanjiang Plain in Northeastern China. From 2002 to 2005, the mean annual budgets of CH₄ and N₂O, and ecosystem respiration were 39.40 ± 6.99 g C m^?2 yr^?1, 0.124 ± 0.05 g N m^?2 yr^?1, and 513.55 ± 8.58 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for permanently inundated wetland; 4.36 ± 1.79 g C m^?2 yr^?1, 0.11 ± 0.12 g N m^?2 yr^?1, and 880.50 ± 71.72 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for seasonally inundated wetland; and 0.21 ± 0.1 g C m^?2 yr^?1, 0.28 ± 0.11 g N m^?2 yr^?1, and 1212.83 ± 191.98 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for shrub swamp. The substantial interannual variation of gas fluxes was due to the significant climatic variability which underscores the importance of long‐term continuous observations. The apparent seasonal pattern of gas emissions associated with a significant relationship of gas fluxes to air temperature implied the potential effect of global warming on greenhouse gas emissions from natural wetlands. The budgets of CH₄ and N₂O fluxes and ecosystem respiration were highly variable among three wetland types, which suggest the uncertainties in previous studies in which all kinds of natural wetlands were treated as one or two functional types. New classification of global natural wetlands in more detailed level is highly expected.     

Spatial heterogeneity of ecosystem carbon fluxes in a broadleaved forest in Northern Germany

Carbon fluxes were investigated in a mature deciduous forest, located in Northern Germany (53°47′N–10°36′E), by means of eddy‐covariance technique, stand survey and models. This forest has been managed following a concept of nature‐oriented forestry since the 1980s. One of the goals of the study was to test whether changed management led to increased carbon sequestration. The forest contains several broadleaved tree species. Depending on wind direction, the fetch‐area of the eddy‐covariance data was dominated by different tree species. Three subplots dominated by Oak, Beech or Alder/Ash could be distinguished from the tower data. In each of these subplots, 30 × 30 m² areas were defined to analyse leaf area index, litterfall and the increase of the wood biomass. Eddy‐covariance analysis showed that the gross primary productivity (GPP′) was higher in the Oak subplot (?1794 g C m^?2 yr^?1) in comparison with the Beech plot and the Alder/Ash plot (?1470 and ?1595 g C m^?2 yr^?1, respectively). The total ecosystem respiration (TER) was the highest in the Alder/Ash‐dominated subplot (1401 g C m^?2 yr^?1) followed by the Oak plot and the Beech plot (1235 and 1174 g C m^?2 yr^?1, respectively). The resulting net ecosystem productivity (NEP) was ?559 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for the Oak‐dominated subplot, ?295 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for the Beech plot and ?193 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for the Alder/Ash plot. From Stand survey and modelling, the net primary productivity was estimated as 1103, 702 and 671 g C m^?2 yr^?1 in the Oak, Beech and Alder/Ash plot, respectively. Also carbon flux with litterfall was the highest in the Oak plot 343 g C m^?2 yr^?1 and lowest in Alder/Ash plot (197 g m^?2 yr^?1) with the Beech plot in between (228 g m^?2 yr^?1). The observations indicate an increase of the proportion of litterfall with increasing GPP′ and a different ability of carbon sequestration of the three stands in medium temporary scale. Only in the Oak stand that comprised the oldest trees and the most structured canopy the carbon sequestration was increased compared with conventionally managed forests.     

Tidal freshwater forest accretion does not keep pace with sea level rise

Soil properties, accretion, and accumulation were measured in tidal freshwater forests (tidal forests) of the Ogeechee, Altamaha, and Satilla rivers of the South Atlantic (Georgia USA) coast to characterize carbon (C) sequestration and nutrient (nitrogen‐N, phosphorus‐P) accumulation in these understudied, uncommon, and ecologically sensitive wetlands. Carbon sequestration and N and P accumulation also were measured in a tidal forest (South Newport River) that experiences saltwater intrusion to evaluate the effects of sea level rise (SLR) and saltwater intrusion on C, N and P accumulation. Finally, soil accretion and accumulation of tidal forests were compared with tidal fresh, brackish and salt marsh vegetation downstream to gauge how tidal forests may respond to SLR. Soil accretion determined using ¹³⁷C and ²¹⁰Pb averaged 1.3 and 2.2 mm yr^?1, respectively, and was substantially lower than the recent rate of SLR along the Georgia coast (3.0 mm yr^?1). Healthy tidal forest soils sequestered C (49–82 g m^?2 yr^?1), accumulated N (3.2–5.3 g m^?2 yr^?1) and P (0.29–0.56 g m^?2 yr^?1) and trapped mineral sediment (340–650 g m^?2 yr^?1). There was no difference in long‐term accretion, C sequestration, and nutrient accumulation between healthy tidal forests and tidal forests of the South Newport River that experience saltwater intrusion. Accelerated SLR is likely to lead to decline of tidal forests and expansion of oligohaline and brackish marshes where soil accretion exceeds the current rate of SLR. Conversion of tidal forest to marshes will lead to an increase in the delivery of some ecosystem services such as C sequestration and sediment trapping, but at the expense of other services (e.g. denitrification, migratory songbird habitat). As sea level rises in response to global warming, tidal forests and their delivery of ecosystem services face a tenuous future unless they can migrate upriver, and that is unlikely in most areas because of topographic constraints and increasing urbanization of the coastal zone.     

Productivity and biochemical composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tetradesmus obliquus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaeodactylum tricornutum</Emphasis>: effects of different cultivation approaches

The present work evaluated biomass productivity, carbon dioxide fixation rate, and biochemical composition of two microalgal species, Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Bacillariophyta) and Tetradesmus obliquus (Chlorophyta), cultivated indoors in high-technology photobioreactors (HT-PBR) and outdoors both in pilot ponds and low-technology photobioreactors in a greenhouse in southern Italy. Microalgae were grown in standard media, under nitrogen starvation, and in two liquid digestates obtained from anaerobic digestion of agro-zootechnical and vegetable biomass. P. tricornutum, cultivated in semi-continuous mode in indoor HT-PBRs with standard medium, showed a biomass productivity of 21.0?±?2.3 g m^?2 d^?1. Applying nitrogen starvation, the lipid productivity increased from 2.3 up to 4.5?±?0.5 g m^?2 d^?1, with a 24 % decrease of biomass productivity. For T. obliquus, a biomass productivity of 9.1?±?0.9 g m^?2 d^?1 in indoor HT-PBR was obtained using standard medium. Applying liquid digestates as fertilizers in open ponds, T. obliquus gave a biomass productivity (10.8?±?2.0 g m^?2 d^?1) not statistically different from complete medium such as P. tricornutum (6.5?±?2.2 g m^?2 d^?1). The biochemical data showed that the fatty acid composition of the microalgal biomass was affected by the different cultivation conditions for both microalgae. In conclusion, it was found that the microalgal productivity in standard medium was about doubled in HT-PBR compared to open ponds for P. tricornutum and was about 20 % higher for T. obliquus.     

Impact of past and present land‐management on the C‐balance of a grassland in the Swiss Alps

Grasslands cover about 40% of the ice‐free global terrestrial surface, but their quantitative importance in global carbon exchange with the atmosphere is still highly uncertain, and thus their potential for carbon sequestration remains speculative. Here, we report on CO₂ exchange of an extensively used mountain hay meadow and pasture in the Swiss pre‐Alps on high‐organic soils (7–45% C by mass) over a 3‐year period (18 May 2002–20 September 2005), including the European summer 2003 heat‐wave period. During all 3 years, the ecosystem was a net source of CO₂ (116–256 g C m^?2 yr^?1). Harvests and grazing cows (mostly via C export in milk) further increased these C losses, which were estimated at 355 g C m^?2 yr^?1 during 2003 (95% confidence interval 257–454 g C m^?2 yr^?1). Although annual carbon losses varied considerably among years, the CO₂ budget during summer 2003 was not very different from the other two summers. However, and much more importantly, the winter that followed the warm summer of 2003 observed a significantly higher carbon loss when there was snow (133±6 g C m^?2) than under comparable conditions during the other two winters (73±5 and 70±4 g C m^?2, respectively). The continued annual C losses can most likely be attributed to the long‐term effects of drainage and peat exploitation that began 119 years ago, with the last significant drainage activities during the Second World War around 1940. The most realistic estimate based on depth profiles of ash content after combustion suggests that there is an 500–910 g C m^?2 yr^?1 loss associated with the decomposition of organic matter. Our results clearly suggest that putting efforts into preserving still existing carbon stocks may be more successful than attempts to increase sequestration rates in such high‐organic mountain grassland soils.     

Crop Residue Mass Needed to Maintain Soil Organic Carbon Levels: Can It Be Determined?

Corn’s (Zea mays L.) stover is a potential nonfood, herbaceous bioenergy feedstock. A vital aspect of utilizing stover for bioenergy production is to establish sustainable harvest criteria that avoid exacerbating soil erosion or degrading soil organic carbon (SOC) levels. Our goal is to empirically estimate the minimum residue return rate required to sustain SOC levels at numerous locations and to identify which macroscale factors affect empirical estimates. Minimum residue return rate is conceptually useful, but only if the study is of long enough duration and a relationship between the rate of residue returned and the change in SOC can be measured. About one third of the Corn Stover Regional Partnership team (Team) sites met these criteria with a minimum residue return rate of 3.9?±?2.18 Mg stover ha^?1 yr^?1, n?=?6. Based on the Team and published corn-based data (n?=?35), minimum residue return rate was 6.38?±?2.19 Mg stover ha^?1 yr^?1, while including data from other cropping systems (n?=?49), the rate averaged 5.74?±?2.36 Mg residue ha^?1 yr^?1. In broad general terms, keeping about 6 Mg residue ha^?1 yr^?1 maybe a useful generic rate as a point of discussion; however, these analyses refute that a generic rate represents a universal target on which to base harvest recommendations at a given site. Empirical data are needed to calibrate, validate, and refine process-based models so that valid sustainable harvest rate guidelines are provided to producers, industry, and action agencies.     

Connecting carbon and nitrogen storage in rural wetland soil to groundwater abstraction for urban water supply

We investigated whether groundwater abstraction for urban water supply diminishes the storage of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and organic matter in the soil of rural wetlands. Wetland soil organic matter (SOM) benefits air and water quality by sequestering large masses of C and N. Yet, the accumulation of wetland SOM depends on soil inundation, so we hypothesized that groundwater abstraction would diminish stocks of SOM, C, and N in wetland soils. Predictions of this hypothesis were tested in two types of subtropical, depressional‐basin wetland: forested swamps and herbaceous‐vegetation marshes. In west‐central Florida, >650 ML groundwater day^?1 are abstracted for use primarily in the Tampa Bay metropolis. At higher abstraction volumes, water tables were lower and wetlands had shorter hydroperiods (less time inundated). In turn, wetlands with shorter hydroperiods had 50–60% less SOM, C, and N per kg soil. In swamps, SOM loss caused soil bulk density to double, so areal soil C and N storage per m² through 30.5 cm depth was diminished by 25–30% in short‐hydroperiod swamps. In herbaceous‐vegetation marshes, short hydroperiods caused a sharper decline in N than in C. Soil organic matter, C, and N pools were not correlated with soil texture or with wetland draining‐reflooding frequency. Many years of shortened hydroperiod were probably required to diminish soil organic matter, C, and N pools by the magnitudes we observed. This diminution might have occurred decades ago, but could be maintained contemporarily by the failure each year of chronically drained soils to retain new organic matter inputs. In sum, our study attributes the contraction of hydroperiod and loss of soil organic matter, C, and N from rural wetlands to groundwater abstraction performed largely for urban water supply, revealing teleconnections between rural ecosystem change and urban resource demand.     

Carbon stocks,sequestration, and emissions of wetlands in south eastern Australia

Nontidal wetlands are estimated to contribute significantly to the soil carbon pool across the globe. However, our understanding of the occurrence and variability of carbon storage between wetland types and across regions represents a major impediment to the ability of nations to include wetlands in greenhouse gas inventories and carbon offset initiatives. We performed a large‐scale survey of nontidal wetland soil carbon stocks and accretion rates from the state of Victoria in south‐eastern Australia—a region spanning 237,000 km² and containing >35,000 temperate, alpine, and semi‐arid wetlands. From an analysis of >1,600 samples across 103 wetlands, we found that alpine wetlands had the highest carbon stocks (290 ± 180 Mg C_org ha^?1), while permanent open freshwater wetlands and saline wetlands had the lowest carbon stocks (110 ± 120 and 60 ± 50 Mg C_org ha^?1, respectively). Permanent open freshwater sites sequestered on average three times more carbon per year over the last century than shallow freshwater marshes (2.50 ± 0.44 and 0.79 ± 0.45 Mg C_org ha^?1 year^?1, respectively). Using this data, we estimate that wetlands in Victoria have a soil carbon stock in the upper 1 m of 68 million tons of C_org, with an annual soil carbon sequestration rate of 3 million tons of CO₂ eq. year^?1—equivalent to the annual emissions of about 3% of the state's population. Since European settlement (~1834), drainage and loss of 260,530 ha of wetlands may have released between 20 and 75 million tons CO₂ equivalents (based on 27%–90% of soil carbon converted to CO₂). Overall, we show that despite substantial spatial variability within wetland types, some wetland types differ in their carbon stocks and sequestration rates. The duration of water inundation, plant community composition, and allochthonous carbon inputs likely play an important role in influencing variation in carbon storage.