Mineral Association and Microbial Processing Jointly Prolong Carbon Turnover in Coastal Wetlands

Coastal margins are critical sites for carbon (C) sequestration, yet the mechanisms stabilizing preaged, allochthonous C (externally-derived biospheric C) in these environments remain poorly understood. Specifically, the interplay between mineral association and microbial processing represents a significant knowledge gap. Here, we investigated C sequestration mechanisms in Chinese mangrove and saltmarsh soils by analyzing topsoils and cores across 36 sites spanning a 20-degree latitudinal transect. We found that saltmarshes, characterized by high mineral accretion and lower relative autochthonous C accumulation, exhibited significantly longer soil organic C (SOC) turnover times than mangroves (topsoils: ~2200…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 42225101, 42141014, 42471140, 52271280
• CA
  Chinese Academy of Sciences
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province

  Award: ZR2023MD009
• YU
  Yunnan University
• FN
  Fujian Normal University
• SC
  South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• IO
  Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Award: 2023YFE0113100