Temperature optimum for marsh resilience and carbon accumulation revealed in a whole ecosystem warming experiment

Smith, Alexander J.; Noyce, Genevieve L.; Megonigal, J. Patrick; Guntenspergen, Glenn R.; Kirwan, Matthew L.

doi:10.1111/gcb.16149

Temperature optimum for marsh resilience and carbon accumulation revealed in a whole ecosystem warming experiment

Journal Article · Wed Mar 02 23:00:00 EST 2022 · Global Change Biology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16149· OSTI ID:1854346

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Virginia Inst. of Marine Science, Gloucester Point , VA (United States); Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD (United States)
U.S. Geological Survey, Laurel, MD (United States)
Virginia Inst. of Marine Science, Gloucester Point , VA (United States)

Coastal marshes are globally important, carbon dense ecosystems simultaneously maintained and threatened by sea-level rise. Warming temperatures may increase wetland plant productivity and organic matter accumulation, but temperature-modulated feedbacks between productivity and decomposition make it difficult to assess how wetlands and their thick, organic rich soils will respond to climate warming. Here, we actively increased aboveground plant-surface and below-ground soil temperatures in two marsh plant communities, and found that a moderate amount of warming (1.7°C above ambient temperatures) consistently maximized root growth, marsh elevation gain, and below-ground carbon accumulation. Marsh elevation loss observed at higher temperatures was associated with increased carbon mineralization and increased microtopographic heterogeneity, a potential early warning signal of marsh drowning. Here, maximized elevation and below-ground carbon accumulation for moderate warming scenarios uniquely suggest linkages between metabolic theory of individuals and landscape-scale ecosystem resilience and function, but our work indicates nonpermanent benefits as global temperatures continue to rise.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Earth and Environmental Systems Science Division

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0014413; SC0019110; SC0021112

OSTI ID:: 1854346

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1908192

Journal Information:: Global Change Biology, Journal Name: Global Change Biology Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 28; ISSN 1354-1013

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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Temperature optimum for marsh resilience and carbon accumulation revealed in a whole ecosystem warming experiment

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