Vegetation-driven differences in soil CO2 emissions and carbon-sequestering microbiomes of estuarine salt marsh and mangrove wetlands
Wang, Lin (Fujian Normal University)
Xie, Yangyang (Fujian Normal University)
Wang, Weiqi (Fujian Normal University)
Li, Yuan (Chinese Academy of Sciences)
Hou, Ning (Fujian Normal University)
Yin, Rongbin (Fujian Normal University)
Song, Zhaoliang (Tianjin University)
Sardans i Galobart, Jordi (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Ge, Maoquan (Fujian Normal University)
Liao, Yiyang (Fujian Normal University)
Lai, Derrick Y. F. (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Peñuelas, Josep (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)

Date:	2025
Abstract:	Estuarine wetlands, particularly salt marshes and mangroves, play a critical role as blue carbon ecosystems, yet their mechanisms of carbon sequestration and emission remain poorly understood. Vegetation type significantly influences soil microbial communities and CO2 dynamics, but comparative studies across wetland types are limited. This study investigates the Minjiang River Estuary wetland to quantify vegetation-driven differences in soil CO2 emissions and carbon-sequestering functional microbiomes among Phragmites australis (salt marsh), Cyperus malaccensis (salt marsh), and Kandelia obovata (mangrove) wetlands. We conducted a one-year field monitoring campaign, measuring soil physicochemical properties (temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, water content), CO2 emissions, and microbial communities (cbbL gene sequencing). Temperature sensitivity (Q10) of CO2 emissions was calculated, and microbial networks were analyzed using co-occurrence patterns and random forest modeling. Mangrove (K. obovata) soils exhibited higher pH, moisture, and salinity but 71. 5 % lower CO2 emissions than P. australis wetlands (p < 0. 05). Microbial drivers differed by vegetation: Sulfuritortus and Alkalispirillum predicted emissions in salt marshes, while Thioalkalivibrio and Thiobacillus dominated in mangroves (p < 0. 05). Specifically, the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration (Q10) was significantly higher in mangrove wetlands than in salt marsh wetlands (2. 18 vs. 1. 28-1. 95), indicating greater climate vulnerability. Network analysis revealed mangrove microbiomes were more stable and interconnected, correlating with suppressed emissions. These findings reveal that mangroves demonstrate superior carbon sequestration potential, attributed to distinct microbial consortia and soil properties, thus supporting their prioritization in blue carbon strategies. Crucially, however, their temperature-sensitive CO2 emissions also highlight a significant vulnerability under warming conditions. This dual insight advances the mechanistic understanding of wetland carbon-climate feedbacks and informs the development of more effective nature-based climate solutions.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, i la comunicació pública de l'obra, sempre que no sigui amb finalitats comercials, i sempre que es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original. No es permet la creació d'obres derivades.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió acceptada per publicar
Published in:	Environmental research, Vol. 282 (October 2025) , art. 122053, ISSN 1096-0953

DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.122053

Available from: 2027-10-31 Postprint

Available from: 2027-10-31 Supplementary material

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles