Climate Effects on Belowground Tea Litter Decomposition Depend on Ecosystem and Organic Matter Types in Global Wetlands

Citations Over TimeTop 10% of 2024 papers

Abstract

Patchy global data on belowground litter decomposition dynamics limit our capacity to discern the drivers of carbon preservation and storage across inland and coastal wetlands. We performed a global, multiyear study in over 180 wetlands across 28 countries and 8 macroclimates using standardized litter as measures of "recalcitrant" (rooibos tea) and "labile" (green tea) organic matter (OM) decomposition. Freshwater wetlands and tidal marshes had the highest tea mass remaining, indicating a greater potential for carbon preservation in these ecosystems. Recalcitrant OM decomposition increased with elevated temperatures throughout the decay period, e.g., increase from 10 to 20 °C corresponded to a 1.46-fold increase in the recalcitrant OM decay rate constant. The effect of elevated temperature on labile OM breakdown was ecosystem-dependent, with tidally influenced wetlands showing limited effects of temperature compared with freshwater wetlands. Based on climatic projections, by 2050 wetland decay constants will increase by 1.8% for labile and 3.1% for recalcitrant OM. Our study highlights the potential for reduction in belowground OM in coastal and inland wetlands under increased warming, but the extent and direction of this effect at a large scale is dependent on ecosystem and OM characteristics. Understanding local versus global drivers is necessary to resolve ecosystem influences on carbon preservation in wetlands.

Related Papers

• → Mapping wetland changes in China between 1978 and 2008(2012)340 cited
• Eco-Climate Characteristics of the Wetlands in Northeast China(2007)
• → AN INVESTIGATION OF THE WETLANDS FROM BOHAI GULF TO LAIZHOU BAY(2009)3 cited
• Trends and influencing factors of wetlands in Southern China in 1992—2012(2013)
• Wetlands Classification and Analysis in Fuzhou Coastal Zone(2014)