Effects of Rhizophora mangle leaf litter and seedlings on carbon and nitrogen cycling in salt marshes – potential consequences of climate-induced mangrove migration

Hendrikus J. Laanbroek*, Qiu Fang Zhang, Marcio Leite, Jos T.A. Verhoeven, Dennis F. Whigham

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background and aims: Due to the production of large amounts of tannins and phenolics by Rhizophora mangle, it was hypothesized that the invasion of this mangrove species in salt marshes due to global warming will result in changes in the cycling of carbon and nitrogen. Methods: Leaf litter and/or seedlings of R. mangle were placed into 1-m2 experimental plots in a Distichlis spicata-dominated salt marsh on the Atlantic Coast of central Florida (USA). An additional litter decomposition experiment was conducted in all plots by adding litter bags containing 10 g of dried D. spicata shoot litter. Seedling growth was measured yearly. One and four years after the start of the experiment, soil samples were collected to determine physical and chemical soil conditions, potential nitrification and denitrification activities and abundances of genes that are related to microbial processes in the nitrogen cycle. Results: Growth of R. mangle seedlings was stimulated in the presence of R. mangle litter, while decomposition rates of D. spicata litter were lower in plots with R. mangle litter and seedlings. The presence of R. mangle litter and/or seedlings had no significant effect on potential nitrification and denitrification activities and on the abundances of genes. Conclusion: The colonization of R. mangle into D. spicata-dominated salt marshes will affect the carbon cycle, but not necessarily the nitrogen cycle, which is likely due to the pre-existing nitrogen-limited conditions in the salt marsh.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)383-400
Number of pages18
JournalPlant and Soil
Volume426
Issue number1-2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2018

Funding

Acknowledgements We like to acknowledge the support obtained from the staff of the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, Florida, during our sampling weeks. We also like to thank our colleagues Mr. Gerrit Rouwenhorst for the chemical analyses and Dr. Boudewijn Beltman for critically reading the manuscript. Finally, we like to acknowledge two anonymous reviewers for their positive criticism on our manuscript, which help to improve its content. The study was supported by a grant of the Smithsonian Marine Science Network to H.J.L., J.T.A.V. and D.F.W. and by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China to Q.-F.Z. (grant no. 41571252). This is publication number 6493 of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology and publication number 1082 of the Smithsonian Marine Station.

Keywords

  • Carbon decomposition
  • Denitrification
  • Distichlis spicata
  • Global warming
  • Nitrification
  • Nitrogen cycle genes
  • Rhizophora mangle
  • Salt marsh

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