Abstract Salt marshes are recognized for their significant capacity to sequester soil carbon; however, the influence of surrounding ecosystem origins, such as natural, artificial, or degraded mangrove systems, on adjacent saltmarsh soil carbon stocks (SCS) remains poorly understood. This study aimed to compare SCS in salt marsh beds adjacent to existed natural mangroves (Nil Char, Dim Char, Hiron Point), artificially planted mangroves (Salimpur), and converted mangrove areas (Chalna) in the coastal region of Bangladesh. Soil samples were collected from depths of 0 to 30 cm and analyzed for soil organic carbon content to assess the impact of mangrove origin on carbon accumulation. This study outcome found that saltmarshes adjacent to natural mangroves stored the highest SCS, with Nil Char (97.38 Mg C ha⁻¹), Dim Char (93.59 Mg C ha⁻¹), and Hiron Point (80.50 Mg C ha⁻¹). In contrast, the artificially planted site Salimpur stored comparatively less (41.03 Mg C ha⁻¹), and the degraded Chalna site had the lowest SCS (30.12 Mg C ha⁻¹). The distribution of carbon throughout the soil depth in the salt marsh bed reveals that, in natural sites, accumulation is more uniform, suggesting that mature wetland ecosystems support long-term carbon stabilization. These findings highlight the significance of ecosystem maturity, structure, and integrity in regulating carbon. The study endorses prioritizing the conservation of natural mangrove–saltmarsh systems and refining restoration measures to enhance the carbon sequestration potential in younger or artificial plantations.
Hoque et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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