Controls on Seasonal Atmosphere‐Ecosystem Carbon Dioxide Exchanges in a Temperate Salt Marsh

TL;DR

This study shows how tides and light conditions affect carbon dioxide exchange in a salt marsh, with implications for understanding coastal carbon dynamics under climate change.

Contribution

The study quantifies the effects of tides and light quality on CO2 exchange in a salt marsh, revealing their role in regulating carbon cycling.

Findings

Peak CO2 uptake occurred in summer with NEE reaching -10.0 ± 2.5 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1.

Tidal inundation reduced daytime assimilation and nighttime respiration by 5.0 ± 1.2 and 3.0 ± 0.7 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1, respectively.

Diffuse light increased CO2 assimilation by 30% compared to direct sunlight.

Abstract

Salt marshes play a vital role in the biogeochemistry of coastal zones, yet the biophysical controls on CO2 exchange with the atmosphere, or net ecosystem exchange (NEE, positive upwards) remain poorly quantified. We investigated a
Spartina alterniflora
monoculture salt marsh on the eastern shore of Virginia, United States, by estimating half‐hourly NEE from March 2016 to February 2017 using the eddy‐covariance method. Maximum marsh–atmosphere CO2 exchanges occurred during June and July when hourly averaged NEE values reached −10.0 ± 2.5 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1 (mean ±1 standard deviation). During the most productive time of the year, a tidal inundation of 0.7 m reduced daytime CO2 assimilation and nighttime CO2 release to the atmosphere by 5.0 ± 1.2 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1 and 3.0 ± 0.7 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1, respectively. Diffuse photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) conditions promoted quantum use efficiencies (α) of the ecosystem that were approximately three times greater than under direct PAR conditions (α
Cloudy = 0.012 ± 0.004 versus α
Clear = 0.004 ± 0.001 mol CO2 per (mol photons)). Under diffuse light, NEE increased more rapidly with PAR and photo‐saturation occurred at higher PAR levels compared to clear‐sky conditions. On average, under the influence of diffuse light, the assimilation of CO2 increased by 30% relative to equivalent PAR levels under direct sunlight. During March 2016 to February 2017 the marsh exchanged −269.1 ± 9.1 g of carbon per m2 with the atmosphere. The findings demonstrate that tides and light quality are key regulators of carbon cycling in tidal marshes. These factors should be incorporated into models of tidal marsh biogeochemistry, particularly as both are undergoing rapid changes due to sea level rise and atmospheric warming.

We quantified net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide in a
Spartina alterniflora
salt marsh on the eastern shore of Virginia using eddy‐covariance measurements from March 2016 to February 2017. Peak carbon dioxide uptake occurred during summer, with tidal inundation reducing both daytime assimilation and nighttime respiration, while diffuse light conditions enhanced ecosystem quantum efficiency and increased carbon dioxide uptake by approximately 30% relative to direct sunlight. These findings identify tides and light quality as key regulators of marsh carbon cycling and highlight their importance for modeling coastal carbon dynamics under sea‐level rise and climate change.

Figures