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Plant size metrics and organic carbon content of Florida salt marsh vegetation

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Abstract

Carbon stored in soil and vegetative biomass in mangrove swamps, salt marshes, and seagrass flats (“coastal blue carbon”) is a significant component of the coastal carbon budget due to the ability of these ecosystems to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide as plant biomass and peat. Growing interest in the protection of these essential yet vulnerable coastal ecosystems, as well as recognition of their capacity to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide, has led to the need for rapid and accurate quantification of location-specific coastal blue carbon stocks. This study provides allometric equations for the calculation of aboveground dry biomass based on plant height for 18 salt marsh species from Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. The 18 plant species were also analyzed for carbon and nitrogen content to determine the appropriate carbon conversion factor to use for blue carbon calculations. The salt marsh plants had an average of 1.2 ± 0.4% nitrogen and 41.1 ± 5.5% carbon. With the exception of Batis maritima, which had a carbon content of only 23.4%, carbon content for all other species ranged from 33.4–47.1%. The four most succulent plant species in this study contained an average of 33.3 ± 7.0% carbon, while the nine graminoid species contained 44.4 ± 2.0% carbon. These species-specific equations and carbon data provide non-destructive methods to rapidly quantify vegetative biomass and carbon stocks for monitoring efforts and blue carbon stock assessments.

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Acknowledgements

This study served as a component of the Tampa Bay Blue Carbon Assessment. Field efforts and carbon stock calculations were completed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Funding was provided by Restore America’s Estuaries and the Tampa Bay Environmental Restoration Fund. The authors also wish to thank the Southwest Florida Water Management District (B Henningsen), FWC’s Stock Enhancement Research Facility (C Young), Upper Tampa Bay Regional Park (B Evarts), Hillsborough County (M Barnwell), Pinellas County (P Leasure), Manatee County, Tampa Electric Co., and Suncoast Youth Conservation Center (K Guindon) for providing property access. Field assistance was provided by A Chappel, J Christian, K Guindon, and R Lucas. Plant samples were pulverized in the lab of E Peebles and analyzed in the lab of B Rosenheim at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science.

Funding

This study served as a component of the Tampa Bay Blue Carbon Assessment. Field efforts and carbon stock calculations were completed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI). Funding for this effort was awarded to Dr. Ryan P. Moyer (FWC/FWRI) by Restore America’s Estuaries and the Tampa Bay Environmental Restoration Fund.

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Author notes

  1. Christina E. Powell

    Present address: Louisiana State University, 2243 Energy, Coast and Environment Building, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA

  2. Ioana Bociu

    Present address: Florida State University, 117 N Woodward Ave, P.O. Box 3064320, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 100 Eighth Avenue Southeast, Saint Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA

    Kara R. Radabaugh, Christina E. Powell, Ioana Bociu, Barbara C. Clark & Ryan P. Moyer

  2. Saint Petersburg College, P.O. Box 13489, Saint Petersburg, FL, 33733, USA

    Barbara C. Clark

Authors
  1. Kara R. Radabaugh
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  2. Christina E. Powell
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  3. Ioana Bociu
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  4. Barbara C. Clark
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  5. Ryan P. Moyer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ryan P. Moyer.

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Radabaugh, K.R., Powell, C.E., Bociu, I. et al. Plant size metrics and organic carbon content of Florida salt marsh vegetation. Wetlands Ecol Manage 25, 443–455 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-016-9527-6

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