Analysis of Organic Matter Decomposition in the Salt Marshes of the Venice Lagoon (Italy) Using Standard Litter Bags

Puppin, Alice; Roner, Marcella; Finotello, Alvise; Ghinassi, Massimiliano; Tommasini, Laura; Marani, Marco; D’Alpaos, Andrea

doi:10.1029/2022jg007289

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 104 publications

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“…The difference in weight between pre-and post-treatment provided the OM content as a weight percentage. The percent of organic C was calculated from LOI using the following local conversion equation built on a subsample analysed with an elemental analyser (Puppin, 2023;Puppin et al, 2023b): OC = (0.37 ± 0.01)LOI + (0.0024 ± 0.0004)LOI 2 .…”

Section: Experimental Design and Sample Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial patterns of organic matter content in the surface soil of the salt marshes of the Venice Lagoon (Italy)

Puppin,

Tognin,

Ghinassi

et al. 2024

Biogeosciences

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Abstract. Salt marshes are crucial eco-geomorphic features of tidal environments as they provide important ecological functions and deliver a wide range of ecosystem services. Being controlled by the interplay between hydrodynamics, geomorphology, and vegetation, the contribution of both organic matter (OM) and inorganic sediments drives salt marsh vertical accretion. This allows marshes to keep pace with relative sea level rise and likewise capture and store carbon, making them valuable allies in climate mitigation strategies. Thus, soil organic matter (SOM), i.e. the organic component of the soil, plays a key role within salt marsh environments, directly contributing to soil formation and supporting carbon storage. This study aims at inspecting spatial patterns of OM in surface salt marsh soils (top 20 cm), providing further insights into the physical and biological factors driving OM dynamics that affect salt marsh survival and carbon sink potential. Our results reveal two scales of variations in SOM content in marsh environments. At the marsh scale, OM variability is influenced by the interplay between surface elevation and changes in sediment supply linked with the distance from the marsh edge. At the system scale, OM content distribution is dominated by the gradient generated by marine and fluvial influence. The observed variations in SOM are explained by the combination of inorganic and organic input, preservation conditions, and sediment grain size. Our results highlight the importance of marshes as carbon sink environments, further emphasising that environmental conditions within a tidal system may generate strongly variable and site-specific carbon accumulation patterns, enhancing blue carbon assessment complexity.

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Section: Experimental Design and Sample Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%