ZMT - Leibniz Zentrum für Marine Tropenforschung

Summary

Establishing 'Blue Carbon' ecosystems such as mangrove forests as nature-based solutions to mitigate climate change requires a thorough understanding of carbon dynamics.

The anaerobic conditions in mangrove soils usually impede the decomposition of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, the intrinsic stabilization mechanisms of SOC other than environmental factors are poorly understood. This project will investigate functional groups of SOC in a chronosequence of mangrove stands with a focus on fine roots in order to better understand the processes promoting the long-term storage of carbon in mangrove soils.

Project goals

• To analyze organic matter composition and SOC functional groups of soils from the Yingluo mangrove forest in the Guangxi province, China.
• To assess the role of fine root dynamics in soil carbon turnover.
• To identify factors controlling soil carbon stabilization in mangrove ecosystems.