Carbon-fixing bacteria and sediment organic carbon response to the introduction of mangrove plant Sonneratia caseolaris.
Huang X, Dong J, Wang Y, Liu H, Zhou W
Soil Health
Coastal mangrove forests lock away carbon at rates far exceeding most terrestrial forests, and understanding which planted species best supercharge that process matters for every coastal restoration project trying to offset emissions.
Scientists compared soils under an introduced fast-growing mangrove tree with soils under native mangrove species and found that the introduced tree dramatically increased the amount of carbon stored in the sediment. The tree also encouraged a richer community of carbon-capturing bacteria, including some that help plants grow and others that link carbon storage to sulfur chemistry underground. These findings suggest that choosing the right tree species for coastal restoration can meaningfully boost how much carbon a mangrove wetland pulls out of the atmosphere.
Key Findings
Sonneratia caseolaris significantly increased sediment organic carbon content and the abundance of carbon-fixing genes (cbbL and cbbM) compared to native mangrove species (P < 0.05).
The introduced species boosted populations of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, particularly Rhizobiales and Burkholderiales, hinting at a soil microbiome that actively supports plant establishment.
Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (e.g., Sulfuriferula, Thioalkalivibrio) emerged as keystone taxa in the carbon-fixing bacterial network, revealing a tight coupling between carbon and sulfur cycles in mangrove sediments.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Introducing the fast-growing mangrove tree Sonneratia caseolaris to degraded coastal wetlands significantly boosts soil carbon storage and enriches the communities of bacteria that fix carbon, including bacteria that also link carbon and sulfur cycles in ways that could amplify long-term carbon sequestration.
Abstract Preview
The fast-growing Sonneratia caseolaris has been widely used in restoration efforts to accelerate the recovery of degraded mangrove ecosystems. Carbon-fixing bacteria (CFB) are recognized as major m...
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Sonneratia caseolaris, commonly known as mangrove apple, or pagatpat is a species of plant in the family Lythraceae. The fruit is noted for its outward similarity to the persimmon fruit.