Leaf litter production and soil carbon storage in forested freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps in Veracruz, Gulf of Mexico
Stored carbon varies among wetlands, yet they rank among the highest carbon accumulating ecosystems. Leaf litter production and aboveground carbon storage are frequently used as proxies for estimating primary productivity, which can be affected by flooding, salinity and other environmental factors....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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International Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland Society
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Mires and Peat |
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| Online Access: | http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map28/map28_15.pdf |
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| author | Eduardo Cejudo Maria E. Hernández Adolfo Campos Dulce Infante-Mata Patricia Moreno-Casasola |
| author_facet | Eduardo Cejudo Maria E. Hernández Adolfo Campos Dulce Infante-Mata Patricia Moreno-Casasola |
| author_sort | Eduardo Cejudo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Stored carbon varies among wetlands, yet they rank among the highest carbon accumulating ecosystems. Leaf litter production and aboveground carbon storage are frequently used as proxies for estimating primary productivity, which can be affected by flooding, salinity and other environmental factors. The objective of this study was to quantify leaf litter production and soil carbon density in two coastal tropical wetland types, namely mangrove swamps and forested freshwater wetlands. Water and soil physicochemical properties, together with leaf litter production, were measured bimonthly between 2007 and 2009 in wetlands of both types, located on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The soils ranged from entirely mineral to entirely organic in the top metre. Mangrove sites had relatively uniform hydroperiods and moderately reductive soils, whereas forested freshwater wetlands had reducing conditions. Electrical conductivity was lower and pH less acidic in forested freshwater wetland soils. Litterfall was around 1000 g m-2 yr-1 and annual production did not differ significantly between wetlands, despite the presence of acidic soils with prolonged flooding and high salinity in the mangrove swamps. Also, there were no consistent differences in soil carbon density between the two wetland types. Some forested freshwater wetlands had low litter production and high soil carbon density, whereas some mangrove swamps had high litter production and low soil carbon density. We present information regarding aboveground biomass turnover and belowground carbon storage in coastal tropical forested wetlands which is greatly needed to support us in understanding, valuing and conserving these neglected ecosystems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T09:34:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4f7f2be528224ba6a330a2df6b35af75 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1819-754X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T09:34:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | International Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mires and Peat |
| spelling | doaj.art-4f7f2be528224ba6a330a2df6b35af752023-09-02T13:49:28ZengInternational Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland SocietyMires and Peat1819-754X2022-06-01281512910.19189/MaP.2020.OMB.StA.1994Leaf litter production and soil carbon storage in forested freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps in Veracruz, Gulf of MexicoEduardo Cejudo0Maria E. Hernández1Adolfo Campos2Dulce Infante-Mata3Patricia Moreno-Casasola4Water Sciences Unit, Yucatán Scientific Research Centre - CONACYT, Cancún, México and Institute of Ecology A.C., Xalapa, MéxicoInstitute of Ecology A.C., Xalapa, MéxicoInstitute of Ecology A.C., Xalapa, MéxicoInstitute of Ecology A.C., Xalapa, México and ECOSUR, Tapachula Unit, Tapachula, MéxicoInstitute of Ecology A.C., Xalapa, MéxicoStored carbon varies among wetlands, yet they rank among the highest carbon accumulating ecosystems. Leaf litter production and aboveground carbon storage are frequently used as proxies for estimating primary productivity, which can be affected by flooding, salinity and other environmental factors. The objective of this study was to quantify leaf litter production and soil carbon density in two coastal tropical wetland types, namely mangrove swamps and forested freshwater wetlands. Water and soil physicochemical properties, together with leaf litter production, were measured bimonthly between 2007 and 2009 in wetlands of both types, located on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The soils ranged from entirely mineral to entirely organic in the top metre. Mangrove sites had relatively uniform hydroperiods and moderately reductive soils, whereas forested freshwater wetlands had reducing conditions. Electrical conductivity was lower and pH less acidic in forested freshwater wetland soils. Litterfall was around 1000 g m-2 yr-1 and annual production did not differ significantly between wetlands, despite the presence of acidic soils with prolonged flooding and high salinity in the mangrove swamps. Also, there were no consistent differences in soil carbon density between the two wetland types. Some forested freshwater wetlands had low litter production and high soil carbon density, whereas some mangrove swamps had high litter production and low soil carbon density. We present information regarding aboveground biomass turnover and belowground carbon storage in coastal tropical forested wetlands which is greatly needed to support us in understanding, valuing and conserving these neglected ecosystems.http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map28/map28_15.pdfcoastal wetlandsfloodinglitterfallorganic soilssalinitytropical wetlands |
| spellingShingle | Eduardo Cejudo Maria E. Hernández Adolfo Campos Dulce Infante-Mata Patricia Moreno-Casasola Leaf litter production and soil carbon storage in forested freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps in Veracruz, Gulf of Mexico Mires and Peat coastal wetlands flooding litterfall organic soils salinity tropical wetlands |
| title | Leaf litter production and soil carbon storage in forested freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps in Veracruz, Gulf of Mexico |
| title_full | Leaf litter production and soil carbon storage in forested freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps in Veracruz, Gulf of Mexico |
| title_fullStr | Leaf litter production and soil carbon storage in forested freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps in Veracruz, Gulf of Mexico |
| title_full_unstemmed | Leaf litter production and soil carbon storage in forested freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps in Veracruz, Gulf of Mexico |
| title_short | Leaf litter production and soil carbon storage in forested freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps in Veracruz, Gulf of Mexico |
| title_sort | leaf litter production and soil carbon storage in forested freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps in veracruz gulf of mexico |
| topic | coastal wetlands flooding litterfall organic soils salinity tropical wetlands |
| url | http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map28/map28_15.pdf |
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