Spatiotemporal Variations in Soil Organic Carbon and Microbial Drivers in the Yellow River Delta Wetland, China

Xinghua Wang, Jun Li, Luzhen Li, Yanke Guo, Beibei Guo and Changsheng Zhao ()
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Xinghua Wang: Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China
Jun Li: Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China
Luzhen Li: Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China
Yanke Guo: Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China
Beibei Guo: Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China
Changsheng Zhao: Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-19

Abstract: This study explores the spatiotemporal dynamics of SOC and microbial-mediated mechanisms in the Yellow River Delta wetlands. Using redundancy analysis and microbial community profiling, we show that vegetation drives distinct SOC storage patterns: Phragmites australis ecosystems exhibit the highest SOC sequestration, followed by Suaeda salsa and Tamarix chinensis habitats, where salt-tolerant taxa like Desulfobacterota and Halobacteriaota promote short-term carbon storage via anaerobic metabolism. The microbial community structure is shaped by both vegetation-induced microhabitats and environmental gradients: SOC and total nitrogen dominate community assembly, while electrical conductivity, pH, and sulfur/nitrogen nutrients regulate spatiotemporal differentiation. Seasonal turnover drives the reorganization of microbial community structures, shaping the dynamic equilibrium of carbon pools. Seasonal DOC dynamics, linked to tidal fluctuations and exogenous carbon inputs, highlight hydrology’s role in modulating active carbon pools. These findings reveal tight linkages among vegetation, microbial functional guilds, and soil biogeochemistry, critical for wetland carbon sequestration.

Keywords: soil organic carbon; soil microbial community; carbon reduction; Yellow River delta wetlands (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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