Article
Plant Sciences
Ketil Koop-Jakobsen, Robert J. Meier, Peter Mueller
Summary: In recent decades, the spread of Elymus athericus has significantly altered the plant community composition and ecosystem services of European marshes. Two ecotypes of E. athericus, adapted to high-marsh and low-marsh environments respectively, have been identified. The plant's ability to oxygenate its rhizosphere, especially during light exposure, contributes to its competitive advantage in low-marsh areas and may aid in its spread under conditions of accelerated sea-level rise.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
B. R. Evans, H. Brooks, C. Chirol, M. K. Kirkham, I Moller, K. Royse, K. Spencer, T. Spencer
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between the presence of different saltmarsh plants and the mechanical properties of the underlying substrate. The findings showed that vegetation can enhance sediment shear strengths, but the effect varies depending on the sediment type.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew R. Payne, David M. Burdick, Gregg E. Moore, Cathleen Wigand
Summary: Research shows that adding 10 cm of sand to pots planted with Spartina alterniflora and Spartina patens can result in fewer stems for S. patens after 2 months, but not for S. alterniflora. Total biomass and root mass were not significantly impacted for either species, indicating that plants will fully recover from the thin-layer placement over time. Effects of thin-layer placement on biomass and stem density did not vary significantly by elevation, and short-term results suggest it is a promising strategy to enhance marsh resilience to sea level rise in New England.
JOURNAL OF COASTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tyler W. dD'Entremont, Juan C. Lopez-Gutierrez, Allison K. Walker
Summary: Salt marshes play essential roles in coastal stability and marine ecosystems, but are facing decline due to anthropogenic and natural causes. This study demonstrates that using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can significantly improve survival and growth of salt marsh grass, especially when using rhizome-derived plants inoculated with propagated Funneliformis geosporum. This finding suggests potential for using AMF-inoculated plants in large-scale salt marsh restoration efforts.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Guangliang Zhang, Junhong Bai, Qingqing Zhao, Jia Jia, Xin Wang, Wei Wang, Xinyan Wang
Summary: The study demonstrates that Spartina alterniflora invasion in coastal salt marshes influences the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) stocks, with implications on carbon accumulation rates and profile distribution. Invasion leads to soil acidification and Ca loss, impacting the accumulation of SOC and SIC.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
X. L. Otero, P. Guevara, M. Sanchez, I Lopez, H. M. Queiroz, A. Ferreira, T. O. Ferreira, G. N. Nobrega, R. Carballo
Summary: Galician Rias are highly productive ecosystems with salt marshes and sediments that promote pyrite synthesis and accumulation. This study examines the morphological variability and concentration of pyrites in the Ria de Ortigueira, finding that framboidal pyrites dominate in marsh soils and sediments in the inner and middle sections, while isolated crystals dominate in the outer section. Lower marsh soils show the highest pyrite synthesis, but lower amounts of framboidal pyrites compared to the inner and middle sections. Pyrite crystals in the sediments indicate degradation and derive from marsh collapse.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sinead M. Crotty, Daniele Pinton, Alberto Canestrelli, Hallie S. Fischman, Collin Ortals, Nicholas R. Dahl, Sydney Williams, Tjeerd J. Bouma, Christine Angelini
Summary: This study reveals that the mussel, Geukensia demissa, has a significant effect on saltmarsh accretion in the southeastern US, with deposition being 2.8-10.7 times higher on mussel aggregations compared to other marsh locations. The study also predicts that mussels drive substantial changes to the magnitude and spatial patterning of accretion at marsh domain scales. Moreover, a manipulative experiment involving over 200,000 mussels shows that the faunal engineer has a much larger impact on relative marsh accretion rates than expected. Therefore, there is a critical need for empirical, experimental, and modeling work to understand the importance of faunal engineers in modifying the persistence of coastal ecosystems globally.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katherine M. Abbott, Tracy Quirk, Lisa M. Fultz
Summary: Soil microbes play a key role in ecosystem functioning, and this study reveals that microbial community composition differs across created marshes of different ages and between created and natural marshes. Additionally, microbial community composition is significantly related to soil properties, suggesting a close correlation between microbes and soil characteristics.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Guangliang Zhang, Junhong Bai, Christoph C. Tebbe, Laibin Huang, Jia Jia, Wei Wang, Xin Wang, Lu Yu, Qingqing Zhao
Summary: This study investigated soil fungal communities in a salt marsh ecosystem with native and exotic plant species. It found that plant invasion significantly decreased fungal richness and diversity, altered community composition, and led to homogenization of the fungal community. The invaded sites had a higher proportion of saprophytic fungi, while growth of pathogenic fungi was inhibited. Soil pH and salinity were identified as important factors in shaping the fungal community structures in the context of plant invasion.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xiao Xu, Shujuan Wei, Hongyang Chen, Bo Li, Ming Nie
Summary: The effects of Spartina alterniflora invasions on soil carbon content in coastal wetlands in China are not clear. This study found that S. alterniflora increased soil organic carbon content in salt marshes dominated by dwarf succulent species in the northern subtropics, but decreased carbon content in mangroves dominated by Kandelia obovata and mixed communities in the southern subtropics. The carbon content in S. alterniflora-invaded ecosystems increased only on a decadal scale and then decreased gradually.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Sean Khan Ooi, Aidan Barry, Beth A. Lawrence, Chris S. Elphick, Ashley M. Helton
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between salt marsh vegetation zones and denitrification potential, and to predict the impact of sea-level rise on denitrification rates. The results showed that vegetation zones were the best predictor of denitrification potential, and the shift in vegetation zones may affect denitrification potential.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
S. Rinehart, J. M. Dybiec, B. Mortazavi, J. A. Cherry
Summary: Burrowing animals, such as crabs, have significant impacts on sediment dynamics and edaphic conditions. However, the influence of burrowing crabs can vary depending on sediment properties and the vertical sediment profile. This study found that burrowing crabs have a greater effect on sediment homogenization and edaphic conditions in marshes with highly stratified vertical sediment profiles. Understanding the vertical sediment profile can provide important insights for managing salt marshes and predicting the effects of burrowing crabs on sediment properties.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sarah C. Crosby, Nicole C. Spiller, Devan S. Healy, Lauren Brideau, Luke M. Stewart, Jamie M. P. Vaudrey, Kasey E. Tietz, Peter J. Fraboni
Summary: Excess nitrogen in coastal waters poses a threat to ecosystems, particularly salt marshes, but studies in Long Island Sound suggest that its role in driving salt marsh loss may be less significant than previously thought. Eutrophication continues to be a critical issue for these ecosystems despite aggressive nitrogen reduction efforts in the region.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tianjiao Adams, Huy D. Vu, Steven C. Pennings
Summary: The study shows that the population density of Orchelimum fidicinium, an important salt marsh orthopteran on the East Coast of the US, varies greatly over space and time. Plant biomass is found to be the best predictor of O. fidicinium density, while factors such as food quality, animal prey, and abiotic factors have minimal impact on their densities.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Victoria Fay, Oumeng Zhang, Ruizhi Cao, Changhuei Yang
Summary: This paper presents a new encapsulation method that significantly extends the lifetime of planar optodes in the soil, enabling long-term measurements in various soil conditions.
JOURNAL OF SOILS AND SEDIMENTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Linjing Ren, Kai Jensen, Philipp Porada, Peter Mueller
Summary: Research has shown that biotic interactions play a crucial role in regulating carbon cycling, particularly in blue carbon ecosystems. These interactions between plants, animals, and microbiota have strong effects on carbon fluxes across different spatial scales. Climate change-sensitive abiotic factors also influence the strength of biotic interactions on carbon cycling.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dirk Granse, Mariana Romeiro Motta, Sigrid Suchrow, Klaus von Schwartzenberg, Arp Schnittger, Kai Jensen
Summary: Whole genome duplications lead to the formation of polyploid specimens in plants, which are considered as major drivers for speciation and diversification. In a study conducted in European Wadden Sea salt marshes, differences in distribution, phenotypic appearance, and response to surface elevation were identified between a hexaploid F-1-hybrid and its dodecaploid descendent, suggesting potential effects of ancient polyploidization on the observed cytotypic differences.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dirk Granse, Juergen Titschack, Malika Ainouche, Kai Jensen, Ketil Koop-Jakobsen
Summary: The study investigated the root system structures of polyploid Spartina taxa and found that the root-aerenchyma can facilitate oxygen transport, showing clear responses to habitat conditions based on different ploidy levels.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Anastasia Leonova, Adrian Heger, Lizeth K. Vasconez Navas, Kai Jensen, Christoph Reisdorff
Summary: This study found that young trees had significantly higher fine root mortality during the summer drought in 2018, leading to low reforestation success in floodplains. The response of fine root dynamics differed between oak and elm trees, which may be attributed to differences in root distribution and hydraulic redistribution ability.
TREES-STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Julia Bass, Dirk Granse, Ingo Hache, Kai Jensen, Volker Karius, Vanessa Minden, Martin Stock, Sigrid Suchrow, Michael Kleyer
Summary: The current climate crisis is leading to sea level rise, which poses a threat to coastal ecosystems. Salt marshes can only persist if their vertical accretion exceeds the rate of sea level rise. Plant functional traits, particularly leaf traits, have an impact on vertical accretion in salt marshes.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maike Paul, Christina Bischoff, Ketil Koop-Jakobsen
Summary: This study examines the effects of future climate change on the growth characteristics of two salt marsh plant species. The results show that one species is insensitive to future climate changes, while the other species shows some growth changes in response to increased water temperature and CO2 concentration. Overall, the capacity of salt marshes to provide coastal protection is expected to remain high, despite future changes in hydrodynamic forcing.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Svenja Reents, Iris Moeller, Ben R. Evans, Ken Schoutens, Kai Jensen, Maike Paul, Tjeerd J. Bouma, Stijn Temmerman, Jennifer Lustig, Matthias Kudella, Stefanie Nolte
Summary: Coastal protection provided by tidal wetland vegetation is crucial in defending coastlines against storm surges. This study examines how extreme wave events affect salt-marsh vegetation and whether plant properties influence plant resistance. The results reveal that salt-marsh vegetation is more robust than expected, with pioneer species showing higher resistance. The height of the vegetation canopy and the stiffness of stems also play a role in defining plant resistance.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ketil Koop-Jakobsen, Tobias Dolch
Summary: Understanding the evolution of salt marsh vegetation under future climate conditions is crucial for predicting the impact of marsh ecosystem services in a warmer climate with higher CO2-concentrations. A mesocosm experiment in the northern Wadden Sea was conducted to investigate the effects of increased temperature and CO2 on salt marsh vegetation. The study found that different plant species in the pioneer zone and low marsh demonstrated varied responses to CO2 and temperature, with Spartina anglica showing increased biomass and resilience towards sea level rise.
MARINE BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Eva Julia Marie Ostertag, Kai Jensen, Viktoria Unger, Stefanie Nolte
Summary: This study investigates the effects of active soil and passive air warming on seedling emergence and survival in salt marshes. The results show that warming has a significant influence on Shannon diversity, but no significant effects on seedling number and survival. However, there are trends that differ between zones, with seedling numbers slightly higher in the warming treatments in the pioneer zone and decreased in the high marsh. Median survival also differs significantly between species.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Malgorzata Borchers, Daniela Thraen, Yaxuan Chi, Nicolaus Dahmen, Roland Dittmeyer, Tobias Dolch, Christian Dold, Johannes Foerster, Michael Herbst, Dominik Hess, Aram Kalhori, Ketil Koop-Jakobsen, Zhan Li, Nadine Mengis, Thorsten B. H. Reusch, Imke Rhoden, Torsten Sachs, Cornelia Schmidt-Hattenberger, Angela Stevenson, Terese Thoni, Jiajun Wu, Christopher Yeates
Summary: In its latest assessment report, the IPCC emphasizes the importance of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to achieve net zero carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas emissions. The potential and feasibility of CDR measures depend on specific conditions, such as site characteristics and resource availability. This study selected 13 CDR concepts and estimated their CO2 removal potentials in 2050. Northern Germany appears to be a preferable area for deployment, but successful implementation requires further socio-economic analysis and policy incentives.
FRONTIERS IN CLIMATE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Heather Alyson Shupe, Kai Jensen, Kristin Ludewig
Summary: Destructively sampling old Pedunculate oak trees to estimate carbon stocks and sequestration rates would harm the preservation of vulnerable floodplain forests. Instead, a nondestructive method using a 1-parameter equation based on diameter at breast height has been adapted to estimate carbon stocks and annual changes in carbon stock for individual trees, including above and below-ground carbon stocks. Additionally, there is a strong linear relationship between carbon sequestration rate and basal area increment.
Article
Forestry
Heather Alyson Shupe, Kai Jensen, Jens Oldeland, Kristin Ludewig
Summary: Trees can help reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations, but the rate at which they do so varies. This study examines the carbon sequestration rate of Pedunculate oak trees in different floodplain environments and analyzes the effects of extreme events on this rate. The results show that floodplains are suitable areas for reforestation because dominant trees in these areas have a high carbon sequestration rate, even under severe conditions.
TREES FORESTS AND PEOPLE
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Suman Halder, Susanne K. M. Arens, Kai Jensen, Tais W. Dahl, Philipp Porada
Summary: Lycopsids, a distinct lineage of vascular plants, have evolved from tiny herbaceous plants to forest-like structures, enriching soil carbon pool and promoting soil microbial activity. They affect soil CO2, hydrology, and silicate weathering. A model, LYCOm, was developed to estimate the impacts of lycopsids on carbon uptake, weathering rates, and net primary production, highlighting their importance at the local scale. The study establishes a basis for assessing the biotic enhancement of weathering by lycopsids at the global scale and geological past, providing a novel approach for estimating their impacts on biogeochemistry and climate.
GEOSCIENTIFIC MODEL DEVELOPMENT
(2022)