Future climate conditions alter biomass of salt marsh plants in the Wadden Sea

Abstract Understanding how the salt marsh vegetation will evolve under future climate conditions is essential for predicting role of ecosystem services in a warmer with higher CO 2 -concentrations. In mesocosm experiment northern Wadden Sea, impact increased temperature (+ 3 °C) and (800 ppm) on was investigated, assessing biomass production pioneer zone low marsh. The zone, which dominated by Spartina anglica exposed to natural tidal inundations , demonstrated differentiated response between belowground aboveground biomass. Aboveground enhanced availability, raised temperatures. Other plant species accounted less than 18% biomass, their suppressed high availability. Increased may improve resilience toward sea level rise. Hence, expected maintain its coastal protection blue carbon storage capacity conditions. marsh, Elymus athericus usual resembled scenario level. showed no or temperature, be due flooding. positive (C 4 plant) lack counter notion that C plants are more productive demonstrate can also thrive marshes.