Coastal soil texture controls soil organic carbon distribution and storage of mangroves in China

Abstract

Mangroves are among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics, but the spatial variation in soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and the mechanisms controlling their stability remain contentious. Here, we proposed a new framework based on distinct coastal soil textures (muddy, sandy, and mud-sand mixed soil) and found that coastal soil texture exhibits regional-scale variations in mangrove soil C:N:P stoichiometry and SOC storage. Using this soil texture classification framework, we identified the important role of mud-sand mixed soil, which functions as a blue carbon hotspot in coastal wetlands. We showed that mangrove SOC storage was underestimated by approximately 37% in mud-sand mixed soil and overestimated by approximately 54% in muddy soil. We further revealed that the chemical composition of SOC and clay mineralogy are responsible for SOC stability by combining physical and chemical characterizations. As a microbial-derived C, glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) contained higher alkyl C (∼58%) and lower O-alkyl C (∼17%) than mangrove soils, indicating that GRSP contributes to the stable SOC pool by its recalcitrant structure. We further found that the C:N:P stoichiometric signature of GRSP can capture variations in mangrove SOC storage compatible with distinct coastal soil textures. These results highlight the role of GRSP in regulating SOC stabilization mechanisms, potentially attenuating coastal blue carbon-climate feedback. Regional-scale variation in SOC linked to coastal soil textures can provide more robust estimates of the contribution of mangrove SOC to global C dynamics.