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Intraspecific Root Trait Variability Along Environmental Gradients Affects Salt Marsh Resistance to Lateral Erosion

Davide De Battisti, Mike S. Fowler, Stuart R. Jenkins, Martin W. Skov, Marta Rossi, Tjeerd J. Bouma, Penelope J. Neyland, John N. Griffin, Penny Neyland

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Volume: 7

Swansea University Author: Penny Neyland

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DOI (Published version): 10.3389/fevo.2019.00150

Abstract

Recent studies in salt marshes have demonstrated the role of plant roots in sediment stabilisation, and hence the importance of marshes in providing coastal protection. However, the relative role of root traits and environmental factors in controlling sediment stability, and how intraspecific variab...

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Published in: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
ISSN: 2296-701X
Published: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 2019
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In this study, we investigated which root trait(s) drive sediment stability (resistance to lateral erosion) in two marsh species with an important role in coastal protection (Spartina anglica and Atriplex portulacoides) and how the environment affects the expression of these traits. We sampled three marshes along salinity gradients in each of two estuaries in Wales (UK), establishing replicate plots in the respective dominant zones of each species. In all plots we sampled abiotic variables (sand, redox potential, pH, salinity) and root traits (root density, specific root density, root volume, root length density); in a subset of these plots (three per species in each marsh) we extracted soil-plant cores and assessed their erosion resistance in a flume. Sediment stability was enhanced by increases in root density and reductions in sand content. Abiotic variables affected root density in different ways depending on species: in S. anglica, redox was the only significant factor, with a positive, linear effect on root density; in A. portulacoides, redox had a non-linear (U-shaped) effect on root density, while sand had a negative effect. Collectively, these results show that (i) intraspecific variability in root density can influence sediment stability in salt marshes, and (ii) sediment properties not only influence sediment stability directly, but also indirectly via root density. These results shed light on spatial variability in the stability of salt marshes to lateral erosion and suggest that root density should be incorporated into coastal vegetation monitoring programs as an easy-to-measure root trait that links the environment to sediment stability and hence to the function and services provided by marshes.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution</journal><volume>7</volume><publisher>Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution</publisher><issnElectronic>2296-701X</issnElectronic><keywords>Structure, Functioning and Conservation of Coastal Wetlands</keywords><publishedDay>8</publishedDay><publishedMonth>5</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2019</publishedYear><publishedDate>2019-05-08</publishedDate><doi>10.3389/fevo.2019.00150</doi><url>https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2019.00150</url><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Biosciences</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>SBI</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><degreesponsorsfunders>HEFCW; Ser Cymrua National Research Network got Low carbon, Energy and Environment RESILCOAST project; NERC; CoastWEB</degreesponsorsfunders><apcterm/><lastEdited>2019-05-28T15:38:38.3652132</lastEdited><Created>2019-05-08T12:11:03.7172148</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Science and Engineering</level><level id="2">School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences</level></path><authors><author><firstname>Davide</firstname><surname>De Battisti</surname><order>1</order></author><author><firstname>Mike S.</firstname><surname>Fowler</surname><order>2</order></author><author><firstname>Stuart R.</firstname><surname>Jenkins</surname><order>3</order></author><author><firstname>Martin W.</firstname><surname>Skov</surname><order>4</order></author><author><firstname>Marta</firstname><surname>Rossi</surname><order>5</order></author><author><firstname>Tjeerd J.</firstname><surname>Bouma</surname><order>6</order></author><author><firstname>Penelope J.</firstname><surname>Neyland</surname><order>7</order></author><author><firstname>John N.</firstname><surname>Griffin</surname><order>8</order></author><author><firstname>Penny</firstname><surname>Neyland</surname><orcid/><order>9</order></author></authors><documents><document><filename>0050254-28052019153744.pdf</filename><originalFilename>50254.pdf</originalFilename><uploaded>2019-05-28T15:37:44.5630000</uploaded><type>Output</type><contentLength>2009344</contentLength><contentType>application/pdf</contentType><version>Version of Record</version><cronfaStatus>true</cronfaStatus><embargoDate>2019-05-27T00:00:00.0000000</embargoDate><documentNotes>Released under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY).</documentNotes><copyrightCorrect>true</copyrightCorrect><language>eng</language></document></documents><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2019-05-28T15:38:38.3652132 v2 50254 2019-05-08 Intraspecific Root Trait Variability Along Environmental Gradients Affects Salt Marsh Resistance to Lateral Erosion 0b8a42970131fd15c3ecaf15d7bb01be Penny Neyland Penny Neyland true false 2019-05-08 SBI Recent studies in salt marshes have demonstrated the role of plant roots in sediment stabilisation, and hence the importance of marshes in providing coastal protection. However, the relative role of root traits and environmental factors in controlling sediment stability, and how intraspecific variability of root traits vary within and among marshes, remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated which root trait(s) drive sediment stability (resistance to lateral erosion) in two marsh species with an important role in coastal protection (Spartina anglica and Atriplex portulacoides) and how the environment affects the expression of these traits. We sampled three marshes along salinity gradients in each of two estuaries in Wales (UK), establishing replicate plots in the respective dominant zones of each species. In all plots we sampled abiotic variables (sand, redox potential, pH, salinity) and root traits (root density, specific root density, root volume, root length density); in a subset of these plots (three per species in each marsh) we extracted soil-plant cores and assessed their erosion resistance in a flume. Sediment stability was enhanced by increases in root density and reductions in sand content. Abiotic variables affected root density in different ways depending on species: in S. anglica, redox was the only significant factor, with a positive, linear effect on root density; in A. portulacoides, redox had a non-linear (U-shaped) effect on root density, while sand had a negative effect. Collectively, these results show that (i) intraspecific variability in root density can influence sediment stability in salt marshes, and (ii) sediment properties not only influence sediment stability directly, but also indirectly via root density. These results shed light on spatial variability in the stability of salt marshes to lateral erosion and suggest that root density should be incorporated into coastal vegetation monitoring programs as an easy-to-measure root trait that links the environment to sediment stability and hence to the function and services provided by marshes. Journal Article Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 7 Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 2296-701X Structure, Functioning and Conservation of Coastal Wetlands 8 5 2019 2019-05-08 10.3389/fevo.2019.00150 https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2019.00150 COLLEGE NANME Biosciences COLLEGE CODE SBI Swansea University HEFCW; Ser Cymrua National Research Network got Low carbon, Energy and Environment RESILCOAST project; NERC; CoastWEB 2019-05-28T15:38:38.3652132 2019-05-08T12:11:03.7172148 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences Davide De Battisti 1 Mike S. Fowler 2 Stuart R. Jenkins 3 Martin W. Skov 4 Marta Rossi 5 Tjeerd J. Bouma 6 Penelope J. Neyland 7 John N. Griffin 8 Penny Neyland 9 0050254-28052019153744.pdf 50254.pdf 2019-05-28T15:37:44.5630000 Output 2009344 application/pdf Version of Record true 2019-05-27T00:00:00.0000000 Released under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY). true eng
title Intraspecific Root Trait Variability Along Environmental Gradients Affects Salt Marsh Resistance to Lateral Erosion
spellingShingle Intraspecific Root Trait Variability Along Environmental Gradients Affects Salt Marsh Resistance to Lateral Erosion
Penny Neyland
title_short Intraspecific Root Trait Variability Along Environmental Gradients Affects Salt Marsh Resistance to Lateral Erosion
title_full Intraspecific Root Trait Variability Along Environmental Gradients Affects Salt Marsh Resistance to Lateral Erosion
title_fullStr Intraspecific Root Trait Variability Along Environmental Gradients Affects Salt Marsh Resistance to Lateral Erosion
title_full_unstemmed Intraspecific Root Trait Variability Along Environmental Gradients Affects Salt Marsh Resistance to Lateral Erosion
title_sort Intraspecific Root Trait Variability Along Environmental Gradients Affects Salt Marsh Resistance to Lateral Erosion
author_id_str_mv 0b8a42970131fd15c3ecaf15d7bb01be
author_id_fullname_str_mv 0b8a42970131fd15c3ecaf15d7bb01be_***_Penny Neyland
author Penny Neyland
author2 Davide De Battisti
Mike S. Fowler
Stuart R. Jenkins
Martin W. Skov
Marta Rossi
Tjeerd J. Bouma
Penelope J. Neyland
John N. Griffin
Penny Neyland
format Journal article
container_title Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
container_volume 7
publishDate 2019
institution Swansea University
issn 2296-701X
doi_str_mv 10.3389/fevo.2019.00150
publisher Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2019.00150
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description Recent studies in salt marshes have demonstrated the role of plant roots in sediment stabilisation, and hence the importance of marshes in providing coastal protection. However, the relative role of root traits and environmental factors in controlling sediment stability, and how intraspecific variability of root traits vary within and among marshes, remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated which root trait(s) drive sediment stability (resistance to lateral erosion) in two marsh species with an important role in coastal protection (Spartina anglica and Atriplex portulacoides) and how the environment affects the expression of these traits. We sampled three marshes along salinity gradients in each of two estuaries in Wales (UK), establishing replicate plots in the respective dominant zones of each species. In all plots we sampled abiotic variables (sand, redox potential, pH, salinity) and root traits (root density, specific root density, root volume, root length density); in a subset of these plots (three per species in each marsh) we extracted soil-plant cores and assessed their erosion resistance in a flume. Sediment stability was enhanced by increases in root density and reductions in sand content. Abiotic variables affected root density in different ways depending on species: in S. anglica, redox was the only significant factor, with a positive, linear effect on root density; in A. portulacoides, redox had a non-linear (U-shaped) effect on root density, while sand had a negative effect. Collectively, these results show that (i) intraspecific variability in root density can influence sediment stability in salt marshes, and (ii) sediment properties not only influence sediment stability directly, but also indirectly via root density. These results shed light on spatial variability in the stability of salt marshes to lateral erosion and suggest that root density should be incorporated into coastal vegetation monitoring programs as an easy-to-measure root trait that links the environment to sediment stability and hence to the function and services provided by marshes.
published_date 2019-05-08T04:01:37Z
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