Work

Distribution of habitat suitability for Suaeda salsa in the Liaohe River Estuary and its relationship with carbon storage

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Suaeda salsa acts as a natural barrier between land and sea in estuarine wetlands while also serving as a significant source of carbon storage. Understanding the synergistic relationship between the spatial distribution of Suaeda salsa habitat suitability and its carbon storage capabilities is essential for guiding ecological restoration and bolstering the carbon sequestration potential of wetlands. Drawing on field survey data from the Liaohe River Estuary wetlands collected in 2021 and 2022, we applied the Maxent model to delineate the spatial distribution of Suaeda salsa habitat suitability. The findings indicate that the principal environmental determinants for the Suaeda salsa community are elevation, soil phosphorus, and sand and soil salt content. Habitats can be divided from into four classes with increasing suitability index: I, II, III, and IV. As the most favorable habitat, class IV spanned 33.07 km² and constituted 22.37% of the area. By integrating remote sensing and ground survey data, a carbon storage evaluation model for Suaeda salsa was developed. This model revealed that the carbon storage within the Liaohe River Estuary reached 8,238.18 and 16,194.08 tons in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Furthermore, spatial overlay analysis between habitat suitability and carbon storage underscored a significant positive correlation between Suaeda salsa carbon density and habitat suitability, highlighting the influence of surrounding land use. This work provides pivotal scientific insights for regional ecological conservation initiatives and enhancement of the carbon sequestration capacity in estuarine wetlands.

Source: The Science of The Total Environment

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176092