Invasive alien plants increase CH sub(4) emissions from a subtropical tidal estuarine wetland

• Published in: Biogeochemistry 2012-11, Vol.111 (1-3), p.677-693
• Main Authors: Tong, Chuan, Wang, Wei-Qi, Huang, Jia-Fang, Gauci, Vincent, Zhang, Lin-Hai, Zeng, Cong-Sheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brackish; Cyperus; Phragmites australis; Spartina alterniflora
• ISSN: 0168-2563; 1573-515X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10533-012-9712-5

Methane (CH sub(4)) is an important greenhouse gas whose emission from the largest source, wetlands is controlled by a number of environmental variables amongst which temperature, water-table, the availability of substrates and the CH sub(4) transport properties of plants are most prominent and well characterised. Coastal wetland ecosystems are vulnerable to invasion by alien plant species which can make a significant local contribution to altering their species composition. However the effect of these changes in species composition on CH sub(4) flux is rarely examined and so is poorly understood. Spartina alterniflora, a perennial grass native to North America, has spread rapidly along the south-east coast of China since its introduction in 1979. From 2002, this rapid invasion has extended to the tidal marshes of the Min River estuary, an area that, prior to invasion was dominated by the native plant Cyperus malaccensis. Here, we compare CH sub(4) flux from the exotic invasive plant S. alterniflora with measurements from the aggressive native species Phragmites australis and the native species C. malaccensis following 3-years of monitoring. CH sub(4) emissions were measured over entire tidal cycles. Soil CH sub(4) production potentials were estimated for stands of each of above plants both in situ and in laboratory incubations. Mean annual CH sub(4) fluxes from S. alterniflora, P. australis and C. malaccensis dominated stands over the 3 years were 95.7 ( plus or minus 18.7), 38.9 ( plus or minus 3.26) and 10.9 ( plus or minus 5.26) g m super(-2) year super(-1), respectively. Our results demonstrate that recent invasion of the exotic species S. alterniflora and the increasing presence of the native plant P. australis has significantly increased CH sub(4) emission from marshes that were previously dominated by the native species C. malaccensis. We also conclude that higher above ground biomass, higher CH sub(4) production and more effective plant CH sub(4) transport of S. alterniflora collectively contribute to its higher CH sub(4) emission in the Min River estuary.