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Belowground productivity varies by assessment technique, vegetation type, and nutrient availability in tidal freshwater forested wetlands transitioning to marsh.

ABSTRACT: Wetlands along upper estuaries are characterized by dynamic transitions between forested and herbaceous communities (marsh) as salinity, hydroperiod, and nutrients change. The importance of belowground net primary productivity (BNPP) associated with fine and coarse root growth also changes but remains the dominant component of overall productivity in these important blue carbon wetlands. Appropriate BNPP assessment techniques to use in various tidal wetlands are not well-defined, and could make a difference in BNPP estimation. We hypothesized that different BNPP techniques applied among tidal wetlands differ in estimation of BNPP and possibly also correlate differently with porewater nutrient concentrations. We compare 6-month and 12-month root ingrowth, serial soil coring techniques utilizing two different calculations, and a mass balance approach (TBCA, Total Belowground Carbon Allocation) among four tidal wetland types along each of two river systems transitioning from freshwater forest to marsh. Median values of BNPP were 266 to 2946 g/m2/year among all techniques used, with lower BNPP estimation from root ingrowth cores and TBCA (266-416 g/m2/year), and higher BNPP estimation from serial coring of standing crop root biomass (using Smalley and Max-Min calculation methods) (2336-2946 g/m2/year). Root turnover (or longevity) to a soil depth of 30 cm was 2.2/year (1.3 years), 2.7/year (1.1 years), 4.5/year (0.9 years), and 1.2/year (2.6 years), respectively, for Upper Forest, Middle Forest, Lower Forest, and Marsh. Marsh had greater root biomass and BNPP, with slower root turnover (greater root longevity) versus forested wetlands. Soil porewater concentrations of NH3 and reactive phosphorus stimulated BNPP in the marsh when assessed with short-deployment BNPP techniques, indicating that pulses of mineralized nutrients may stimulate BNPP to facilitate marsh replacement of forested wetlands. Overall, ingrowth techniques appeared to represent forested wetland BNPP adequately, while serial coring may be necessary to represent herbaceous plant BNPP from rhizomes as marshes replace forested wetlands.

SUBMITTER: From AS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8284669 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Over 17 years, species richness and seed bank densities, initially very high, decreased, and Phragmites australis, an invasive, came to dominate the seed bank and vegetation. Despite a persistent and varied seed bank, Phragmites will likely preclude contributions from the seed bank or newly dispersed propagules to vegetation development. Background and aims A created tidal freshwater wetland, with no extant seed bank, was monitored to evaluate the colonization potential of a tidal river, vegetation and seed bank changes, and also species persistence. Methodology The 32.3-ha mitigation, adjacent to the Delaware River, was completed in 1994. Three sites, with differing completion dates, and three locations (channel edge, midpoint, upland edge) were sampled. From 1995 to 1999, surveys permitted a view of initial dynamics involving soil seed bank density or field vegetation cover, as well as species composition. Vegetation was monitored through 2011, and in 2011 a seed bank survey was also undertaken. Principal results Between 1995 and 1999, 177 species emerged from soil samples, with a maximum of 32.3 ± 1.8 (SE)/sample. Eight species were added in 2011, indicating continuing dispersal and input. Comparing species richness across three sites for midpoint locations, 2011 totals and species/sample were lower (61–90 % and 53–72 %, respectively) than 1998 values. In vegetation plots during the first 5 years, 72 cover species were present. In 2011, there were 44; 14 were new and the majority (13) were woody and part of an overhanging edge canopy. Dispersal was primarily via water. Overall, the trend was towards lower seed bank densities, except for Mikania scandens and Phragmites australis which had higher densities, as well as cover values. Species richness also decreased. Species varied in persistence in the seed bank and vegetation, and among sites and with location. Initial site colonization differences were still apparent in 2011 seed bank samples. While present, Lythrum salicaria did not reduce species richness; Phragmites, in contrast, had substantial impact. Conclusions The single most important change was an increase in Phragmites in the vegetation. Vegetation dynamics are now determined by this species, and the persistent seed bank and continuing dispersal input have little obvious future in vegetation development.

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Belowground productivity varies by assessment technique, vegetation type, and nutrient availability in tidal freshwater forested wetlands transitioning to marsh.

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