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

Trevathan-Tackett, SM, Kepfer-Rojas, S, Malerba, M et al. (2024). Climate Effects on Belowground Tea Litter Decomposition Depend on Ecosystem and Organic Matter Types in Global Wetlands . ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 58(49), 21589-21603. 10.1021/acs.est.4c02116

cited authors

  • Trevathan-Tackett, SM; Kepfer-Rojas, S; Malerba, M; Macreadie, PI; Djukic, I; Zhao, J; Young, EB; York, PH; Yeh, SC; Xiong, Y; Winters, G; Campus, E; Whitlock, D; Weaver, CA; Watson, A; Visby, I; Tylkowski, J; Trethowan, A; Tiegs, S; Taylor, B; Szpikowski, J; Szpikowska, G; Strickland, VL; Stivrins, N; Sousa, AI; Sinutok, S; Scheffel, WA; Santos, R; Sanderman, J; Sánchez-Carrillo, S; Sanchez-Cabeza, JA; Rymer, KG; Ruiz-Fernandez, AC; Robroek, BJM; Roberts, T; Ricart, AM; Reynolds, LK; Rachlewicz, G; Prathep, A; Pinsonneault, AJ; Pendall, E; Payne, R; Ozola, I; Onufrock, C; Ola, A; Oberbauer, SF; Numbere, AO; Novak, AB; Norkko, J; Norkko, A; Mozdzer, TJ; Morgan, P; Montemayor, DI; Martin, CW; Malone, SL; Major, M; Majewski, M; Lundquist, CJ; Lovelock, CE; Liu, S; Lin, HJ; Lillebo, A; Li, J; Kominoski, JS; Khuroo, AA; Kelleway, JJ; Jinks, KI; Jerónimo, D; Janousek, C; Jackson, EL; Iribarne, O; Hanley, T; Hamid, M; Gupta, A; Guariento, RD; Grudzinska, I; Gripp, ADR; González Sagrario, MA; Garrison, LM; Gagnon, K; Gacia, E; Fusi, M; Farrington, L; Farmer, J; de Assis Esteves, F; Escapa, M; Domańska, M; Dias, ATC; de los Santos, CB; Daffonchio, D; Czyryca, PM; Connolly, RM; Cobb, A; Chudzińska, M; Christiaen, B; Chifflard, P; Castelar, S; Carneiro, LS; Cardoso-Mohedano, JG; Camden, M

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.

publication date

  • December 10, 2024

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 21589

end page

  • 21603

volume

  • 58

issue

  • 49