Storage, patterns and influencing factors for soil organic carbon in coastal wetlands of China

Soil organic carbon (SOC) in coastal wetlands, also known as "blue C," is an essential component of the global C cycles. To gain a detailed insight into blue C storage and controlling factors, we studied 142 sites across ca. 5000 km of coastal wetlands, covering temperate, subtropical, and tropical climates in China. The wetlands represented six vegetation types (Phragmites australis, mixed of P. australis and Suaeda, single Suaeda, Spartina alterniflora, mangrove [Kandelia obovata and Avicennia marina], tidal flat) and three vegetation types invaded by S. alterniflora (P. australis, K. obovata, A. marina). Our results revealed large spatial heterogeneity in SOC density of the top 1-m ranging 40-200 Mg C ha