Plant–soil feedbacks in mangrove ecosystems: establishing links between empirical and modelling studies

• Published in: Trees (Berlin, West) West), 2021-10, Vol.35 (5), p.1423-1438
• Main Authors: Wimmler, Marie-Christin, Bathmann, Jasper, Peters, Ronny, Jiang, Jiang, Walther, Marc, Lovelock, Catherine E., Berger, Uta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carbon sequestration; Climate change; Coastal management; Coastal zone management; Dynamic stability; Ecological effects; Ecosystem dynamics; Ecosystem resilience; Ecosystem restoration; Ecosystems; Environment models; Environmental changes; Environmental restoration; Forestry; Global climate; Herbivores; Life Sciences; Mangroves; Mathematical models; Numerical models; Plant Anatomy/Development; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Resilience; Review; Sea level rise; Seedlings; Soil dynamics; Soil investigations; Soils; Strategic management
• ISSN: 0931-1890; 1432-2285
• DOI: 10.1007/s00468-021-02182-z

Key message Plant–soil feedbacks in mangrove ecosystems are important for ecosystem resilience and can be investigated by establishing links between empirical and modelling studies. Plant–soil feedbacks are important as they provide valuable insights into ecosystem dynamics and ecosystems stability and resilience against multiple stressors and disturbances, including global climate change. In mangroves, plant–soil feedbacks are important for ecosystem resilience in the face of sea level rise, carbon sequestration, and to support successful ecosystem restoration. Despite the recognition of the importance of plant–soil feedbacks in mangroves, there is limited empirical data available. We reviewed empirical studies from mangrove ecosystems and evaluate numerical models addressing plant–soil feedbacks. The empirical evidence suggests that plant–soil feedbacks strongly influence ecological processes (e.g. seedling recruitment and soil elevation change) and forest structure in mangrove ecosystems. Numerical models, which successfully describe plant–soil feedbacks in mangrove and other ecosystems, can be used in future empirical studies to test mechanistic understanding and project outcomes of environmental change. Moreover, the combination of both, modelling and empirical approaches, can improve mechanistic understanding of plant–soil feedbacks and thereby ecosystem dynamics in mangrove ecosystems. This combination will help to support sustainable coastal management and conservation.