How do soil processes control the provision of ecosystem services in coastal wetlands?

Author(s)

Ferreira, Tiago O. ; Queiroz, Hermano M. ; Ruiz, Francisco ; Nobrega, Gabriel N. ; Cherubin, Mauricio R. ; de Souza Junior, Valdomiro S. ; Barcellos, Diego ; Ferreira, Amanda D. ; Otero, Xose L.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Environmental Research; v. 255, p. 13-pg., 2024-05-18.

Abstract

Coastal wetlands are known for their diverse ecosystems, yet their soil characteristics are often misunderstood and thought to be monotonous. These soils are frequently subjected to saline water saturation, leading to unique soil processes. However, the combination and intensity of these processes can vary considerably across different ecosystems. In this study, we hypothesize that these diverse soil processes not only govern the geochemical conditions in coastal ecosystems but also influence their ability to deliver ecosystem services. To test this hypothesis, we conducted soil analyses in mangroves, seagrass meadows, and hypersaline tidal flats along the Brazilian coast. We used key soil properties as indicators of soil processes and developed a conceptual model linking soil processes and soil-related ecosystem services in these environments. Under more anoxic conditions, the intense soil organic matter accumulation and sulfidization processes in mangroves evidence their significance in terms of climate regulation through organic carbon sequestration and contaminants immobilization. Similarly, pronounced sulfidization in seagrasses underscores their ability to immobilize contaminants. In contrast, hypersaline tidal flats soils exhibit increased intensities of salinization and calcification processes, leading to a high capacity for accumulating inorganic carbon as secondary carbonates (CaCO3), underscoring their role in climate regulation through inorganic carbon sequestration. Our findings show that contrary to previously thought coastal wetlands are far from monotonous, exhibiting significant variations in the types and intensities of soil processes, which in turn influence their capacity to deliver ecosystem services. This understanding is pivotal for guiding effective management strategies to enhance ecosystem services in coastal wetlands. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 21/00221-3 - From sinks to sources: vulnerability of mangrove soils as carbon sinks in the face of global climate change
• Grantee: Hermano Melo Queiroz
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 19/14800-5 - Estuarine plants and their control in metals biogeochemistry in soils impacted by the `Mariana disaster´
• Grantee: Amanda Duim Ferreira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 19/02855-0 - Redox fluctuations, iron and heavy metals dynamics in soils from Rio Doce estuary after the "Mariana (MG) disaster": an experimental approach
• Grantee: Diego Barcellos
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 23/06841-9 - Impact of Extreme Weather on Iron-Mediated Organo-Mineral Interactions in Mangrove Soils
• Grantee: Francisco Ruiz
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 19/19987-6 - Soils and plants of the Rio Doce estuary controlling the biogeochemistry of iron and metals in response to the Mariana (MG) disaster
• Grantee: Tiago Osório Ferreira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants