Coastal wetlands, including mangrove forests and saltmarshes, are among the most carbon-dense ecosystems worldwide. In their undisturbed state, coastal wetlands act as important carbon sinks. A large portion of the carbon captured by coastal wetlands is allocated to fine roots and stored in the soil as organic carbon. Fine roots (< 2 mm) are critically important for coastal wetlands because, in addition to being a primary source of soil carbon, they build up soil and limit coastal wetland submergence by sea-level rise. Yet, despite their importance, knowledge of fine-root dynamics is limited because accurately measuring underground processes without disturbing the soil is especially challenging in coastal wetlands.
Source: Ecology - nature.com
