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The contrasting effects of nutrient enrichment on growth, biomass allocation and decomposition of plant tissue in coastal wetlands

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Abstract

Aims

Eutrophication of coastal waters can have consequences for the growth, function and soil processes of coastal wetlands. Our aims were to assess how nutrient enrichment affects growth, biomass allocation and decomposition of plant tissues of a common and widespread mangrove, Avicennia marina, and how eutrophication drives changes in below-ground carbon sequestration.

Methods

We assessed this through the measurement of above- and belowground growth and decomposition rates of plants and plant tissue in unenriched or nutrient enriched treatments.

Results

Nutrient enrichment increased biomass allocation above-ground compared to below-ground in seedlings but not in fully developed, mature trees where we observed the opposite pattern. Experiments to assess root decomposition found that 40–50% of biomass was lost within six months with little change between 12 and 18 months, indicating a high potential for accumulation of organic matter over time. We estimate root-derived carbon sequestration rates of 53, 250 and 94 g C m−2 year−1 for unenriched control, N and P enriched treatments, respectively.

Conclusions

These results show coastal eutrophication can be beneficial and detrimental to ecosystem function of coastal plants. Eutrophication stimulates root growth in fully developed trees, increasing organic matter input to soils. Our data suggests that organic matter accumulation will increase in areas with high nutrient availability where root growth is increased and rates of decomposition are low.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by the CSIRO Marine and Coastal Carbon Biogeochemistry Cluster (Coastal Carbon Cluster) and The National Center for Groundwater Research and Training.

Author contributions

MH and CEL conceived and designed the experiments. MH, AJ, BT, and RR performed the experiments. MH, JK and CEL analysed the data. MH wrote the manuscript; with other authors providing editorial advice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Smithsonian Institution, Edgewater, MD, 21037, USA

    Matthew A. Hayes

  2. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, QLD, St. Lucia, 4072, Australia

    Amber Jesse, Basam Tabet & Catherine E. Lovelock

  3. School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Ruth Reef

  4. Ecology and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Joost A. Keuskamp

  5. Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Joost A. Keuskamp

Authors
  1. Matthew A. Hayes
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  2. Amber Jesse
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  3. Basam Tabet
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  4. Ruth Reef
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  5. Joost A. Keuskamp
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  6. Catherine E. Lovelock
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthew A. Hayes.

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Responsible Editor: Jeffrey Walck .

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Hayes, M.A., Jesse, A., Tabet, B. et al. The contrasting effects of nutrient enrichment on growth, biomass allocation and decomposition of plant tissue in coastal wetlands. Plant Soil 416, 193–204 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3206-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3206-0

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