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Effects of waterlogging and elevated salinity on the allocation of photosynthetic carbon in estuarine tidal marsh: a mesocosm experiment

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Abstract

Background and aim

Coastal marshes and wetlands hosting blue carbon ecosystems have shown vulnerability to sea-level rise (SLR) and its consequent effects. In this study, we explored the effects of waterlogging and elevated salinity on the accumulation and allocation of photosynthetic carbon (C) in a widely distributed species in marsh lands.

Methods

The plant–soil mesocosms of Phragmites australis were grown under waterlogging and elevated salinity conditions to investigate the responses of photosynthetic C allocation in different C pools (plant organs and soils) based on 13CO2 pulse-labeling technology.

Results

Both waterlogging and elevated salinity treatments decreased photosynthetic C fixation. The hydrological treatments also reduced 13C transport to the plant organs of P. australis while significantly increased 13C allocation percentage in roots. Waterlogging and low salinity had no significant effects on 13C allocation to rhizosphere soils, while high salinity (15 and 30 ppt) significantly reduced 13C allocation to soils, indicating a decreased root C export in saline environments. Waterlogging enhanced the effects of salinity on the 13C allocation pattern, particularly during the late growing season. The responses of flooding and elevated salinity on C allocation in plant organs and rhizosphere soils can be related to changes in nutrient, ionic concentrations and microbial biomass.

Conclusion

The adaptation strategy of P. australis led to increased C allocation in belowground organs under changed hydrology. Expected global SLR projection might decrease total C stocks in P. australis and alter the C allocation pattern in marsh plant-soil systems, due to amplified effects of flooding and elevated salinities.

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Acknowledgements

This paper is a product of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42141016, 41871088 and U2040204), the Integrated Development Project (21002410100) for the Yangtze River Delta by the Shanghai Science &Technology Committee, the project “Coping with deltas in transition” within the Programme of Strategic Scientific Alliances between China and The Netherlands (2016YFE0133700), and the “ECOLOGY+” initiative foundation of the East China Normal University. The Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) is acknowledged for funding KH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, Institute of Eco-Chongming, Center for Blue Carbon Science and Technology, East China Normal University, Estuary & Coast building, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200241, China

    Ya-Lei Li, Zhen-Ming Ge, Li-Na Xie, Shi-Hua Li & Li-Shan Tan

  2. Yangtze Delta Estuarine Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education & Shanghai Science and Technology Committee, Shanghai, China

    Ya-Lei Li & Zhen-Ming Ge

  3. Section for Marine Biology, Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Oslo, Norway

    Ya-Lei Li, Li-Na Xie & Kasper Hancke

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  1. Ya-Lei Li
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Li, YL., Ge, ZM., Xie, LN. et al. Effects of waterlogging and elevated salinity on the allocation of photosynthetic carbon in estuarine tidal marsh: a mesocosm experiment. Plant Soil 482, 211–227 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05687-9

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