Abstract
Mangrove ecosystems function simultaneously as carbon sinks and carbon sources. While their contribution to biomass accumulation and long-term carbon sequestration have been extensively studied, the mechanisms driving carbon emissions, particularly those mediated by tree species and microbial communities, remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated Kandelia obovate (KO), Sonneratia apetala (SA), and an adjacent mudflat in the Hanjiang River Estuary, southern China, to evaluate seasonal changes in sediment physicochemistry, microbial community structure, and CO₂ fluxes, and to evaluate the influence of vegetation on carbon emissions. This research shows that mangrove colonization significantly altered sediment conditions, with K. obovata exhibiting higher salinity, water content, and total carbon concentration than S. apetala . Sediment CO₂ fluxes were consistently greater in mangrove habitats than in mudflats and displayed clear seasonal variation. In summer, sediment CO₂ fluxes in S. apetala and K. obovata were 4.3- and 2.5-fold higher than in winter, respectively. Concurrently, root respiration intensified in S. apetala during summer, whereas K. obovata root respiration remained stable across seasons. Microbial communities were dominated by Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi across sites, however, their network structures differed. S. apetala supported tighter microbial interactions, while K. obovata exhibited higher modularity and functional specialization. Additionally, partial least squares structural equation modeling revealed that sediment physicochemical properties strongly constrained microbial diversity and regulated CO₂ flux both directly and indirectly. These findings highlight the importance of sediment and root respiration in mangrove carbon cycling and demonstrate how species identity modulates CO₂ fluxes by shaping the interactions between sediment conditions and microbial communities.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
K. obovata sediments had higher salinity than S. apetala sediments.
- Taxon
- K. obovata
Kandelia obovatae0 - Outcome
- salinitye0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- S. apetalae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“K. obovata exhibiting higher salinity, water content, and total carbon concentration than S. apetala”
Claim · model-written summary
K. obovata sediments had higher water content than S. apetala sediments.
- Taxon
- K. obovataKandelia obovatae0
- Outcome
- water contente0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- S. apetalae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“K. obovata exhibiting higher salinity, water content, and total carbon concentration than S. apetala”
Claim · model-written summary
K. obovata sediments had higher total carbon than S. apetala sediments.
- Taxon
- K. obovataKandelia obovatae0
- Outcome
- total carbon concentratione0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- S. apetalae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“K. obovata exhibiting higher salinity, water content, and total carbon concentration than S. apetala”
Claim · model-written summary
Mangrove sediment CO₂ flux was greater than mudflat flux.
Verbatim
e0“Sediment CO₂ fluxes were consistently greater in mangrove habitats than in mudflats and displayed clear seasonal variation.”
Claim · model-written summary
Mangrove sediment CO₂ flux varied by season.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Sediment CO₂ fluxes were consistently greater in mangrove habitats than in mudflats and displayed clear seasonal variation.”
Claim · model-written summary
S. apetala summer sediment CO₂ flux was 4.3-fold winter flux.
- Taxon
- S. apetala
.jpg?width=60)
Sonneratia apetalae0 - Outcome
- sediment CO₂ fluxese0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 4.3-e0
- Comparator
- wintere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“In summer, sediment CO₂ fluxes in S. apetala and K. obovata were 4.3- and 2.5-fold higher than in winter, respectively.”
Claim · model-written summary
K. obovata summer sediment CO₂ flux was 2.5-fold winter flux.
- Taxon
- K. obovataKandelia obovatae0
- Outcome
- sediment CO₂ fluxese0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 2.5-folde0
- Comparator
- wintere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In summer, sediment CO₂ fluxes in S. apetala and K. obovata were 4.3- and 2.5-fold higher than in winter, respectively.”
Claim · model-written summary
S. apetala root respiration intensified in summer.
- Taxon
- S. apetalaSonneratia apetalae0
- Outcome
- root respiratione0
- Direction
- intensifiede0
- Qualifier
- summere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“root respiration intensified in S. apetala during summer”
Claim · model-written summary
K. obovata root respiration remained stable across seasons.
- Taxon
- K. obovataKandelia obovatae0
- Outcome
- root respiratione0
- Direction
- remained stablee0
- Qualifier
- across seasonse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“K. obovata root respiration remained stable across seasons.”
Claim · model-written summary
Microbial network structures differed among sites.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“their network structures differed.”
Claim · model-written summary
S. apetala supported tighter microbial interactions.
- Taxon
- S. apetalaSonneratia apetalae0
- Outcome
- microbial interactionse0
- Direction
- tightere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“S. apetala supported tighter microbial interactions”
Claim · model-written summary
K. obovata microbial networks showed higher modularity and functional specialization.
- Taxon
- K. obovataKandelia obovatae0
- Outcome
- modularity and functional specializatione0
- Direction
- highere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“K. obovata exhibited higher modularity and functional specialization.”
Claim · model-written summary
Sediment physicochemical properties constrained microbial diversity.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“sediment physicochemical properties strongly constrained microbial diversity”
Claim · model-written summary
Sediment physicochemical properties directly and indirectly regulated CO₂ flux.
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“sediment physicochemical properties strongly constrained microbial diversity and regulated CO₂ flux both directly and indirectly.”