Nature – Kirwan et al. (2023): Geomorphic and ecological constraints on the coastal carbon sink
Matthew L. Kirwan, J. Patrick Megonigal, Genevieve L. Noyce, Alexander J. Smith IN: Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-023-00429-6
In this Review, the authors discuss the geomorphic processes constraining soil carbon accumulation and the ecological processes constraining greenhouse gas emissions that together determine the net radiative forcing of the coastal landscape and the size of the coastal carbon sink. Sea level rise creates vertical and lateral accommodation space that potentially enhances soil carbon accumulation in marshes and mangroves. However, sea level rise and saltwater intrusion lead to ecosystem transitions that result in loss of existing carbon pools, altering the balance between carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions. T