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On the relative roles of hydrology, salinity, temperature, and root productivity in controlling soil respiration from coastal swamps (freshwater)

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Abstract

Background and aims

Soil CO2 emissions can dominate gaseous carbon losses from forested wetlands (swamps), especially those positioned in coastal environments. Understanding the varied roles of hydroperiod, salinity, temperature, and root productivity on soil respiration is important in discerning how carbon balances may shift as freshwater swamps retreat inland with sea-level rise and salinity incursion, and convert to mixed communities with marsh plants.

Methods

We exposed soil mesocosms to combinations of permanent flooding, tide, and salinity, and tracked soil respiration over 2½ growing seasons. We also related these measurements to rates from field sites along the lower Savannah River, Georgia, USA. Soil temperature and root productivity were assessed simultaneously for both experiments.

Results

Soil respiration from mesocosms (22.7–1678.2 mg CO2 m−2 h−1) differed significantly among treatments during four of the seven sampling intervals, where permanently flooded treatments contributed to low rates of soil respiration and tidally flooded treatments sometimes contributed to higher rates. Permanent flooding reduced the overall capacity for soil respiration as soils warmed. Salinity did reduce soil respiration at times in tidal treatments, indicating that salinity may affect the amount of CO2 respired with tide more strongly than under permanent flooding. However, soil respiration related greatest to root biomass (mesocosm) and standing root length (field); any stress reducing root productivity (incl. salinity and permanent flooding) therefore reduces soil respiration.

Conclusions

Overall, we hypothesized a stronger, direct role for salinity on soil respiration, and found that salinity effects were being masked by varied capacities for increases in respiration with soil warming as dictated by hydrology, and the indirect influence that salinity can have on plant productivity.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the USGS Climate and Land Use Change Research and Development Program. Andrew S. From and Travis L. Trahan assisted with the measurement and maintenance of the greenhouse study, while William Russell Webb and the staff of the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge facilitated site access for assessing soil respiration rates from field sites. Scott C. Neubauer, J. Patrick Megonigal, Larry Allain, William H. Conner, and an anonymous referee provided valuable reviews of previous manuscript drafts. We thank Janelda Biagas for assistance with soil redox and sulfide measurements, Darren Johnson for conducting the statistical analyses, and Susan Mopper for allowing us use of a greenhouse at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Center for Ecology and Environmental Technology. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the United States Government.

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Author notes

  1. Julie L. Whitbeck

    Present address: National Park Service, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, 419 Decatur Street, New Orleans, LA, 70130, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Geological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center, 700 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette, LA, 70506, USA

    Ken W. Krauss & Rebecca J. Howard

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, CRC-200, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, LA, 70148, USA

    Julie L. Whitbeck

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  1. Ken W. Krauss
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Correspondence to Ken W. Krauss.

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Krauss, K.W., Whitbeck, J.L. & Howard, R.J. On the relative roles of hydrology, salinity, temperature, and root productivity in controlling soil respiration from coastal swamps (freshwater). Plant Soil 358, 265–274 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1182-y

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