Many studies have attempted to predict whether coastal marshes will be able to keep up with future acceleration of sea-level rise by estimating marsh accretion rates. However, there are few studies focussing on the long-term effects of herbivores on vegetation structure and subsequent effects on marsh accretion. Deposition of fine-grained, mineral sediment during tidal inundations, together with organic matter accumulation from the local vegetation, positively affects accretion rates of marsh surfaces. Tall vegetation can enhance sediment deposition by reducing current flow and wave action. Herbivores shorten vegetation height and this could potentially reduce sediment deposition. This study estimated the effects of herbivores on 1) vegetation height, 2) sediment deposition and 3) resulting marsh accretion after long-term (at least 16 years) herbivore exclusion of both small (i.e. hare and goose) and large grazers (i.e. cattle) for marshes of different ages. Our results firstly showed that both small and large herbivores can have a major impact on vegetation height. Secondly, grazing processes did not affect sediment deposition. Finally, trampling by large grazers affected marsh accretion rates by compacting the soil. In many European marshes, grazing is used as a tool in nature management as well as for agricultural purposes. Thus, we propose that soil compaction by large grazers should be taken in account when estimating the ability of coastal systems to cope with an accelerating sea-level rise. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
", "keywords": ["marsh succession", "0106 biological sciences", "Surface elevation change", "Sea-level rise", "FLOW", "Sedimentation rate", "SEA-LEVEL RISE", "SURFACE ELEVATION", "01 natural sciences", "BROWN HARES", "Herbivory", "14. Life underwater", "Marsh succession", "Biology", "Global change", "VEGETATION SUCCESSION", "global change", "COASTAL WETLANDS", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "sedimentation rate", "herbivory", "GEESE", "sea-level rise", "15. Life on land", "PRODUCTIVITY GRADIENT", "surface elevation change", "NORTH-SEA", "13. Climate action", "TIDAL MARSH"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.08.021"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Estuarine%2C%20Coastal%20and%20Shelf%20Science", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.ecss.2013.08.021", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.ecss.2013.08.021", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.08.021"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2013-11-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.ecss.2013.10.026", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-06-26T16:17:19Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2013-11-01", "title": "Does Livestock Grazing Affect Sediment Deposition And Accretion Rates In Salt Marshes?", "description": "Accretion rates, defined as the vertical growth of salt marshes measured in mm per year, may be influenced by grazing livestock in two ways: directly, by increasing soil compaction through trampling, and indirectly, by reducing aboveground biomass and thus decreasing sediment deposition rates measured in g/m(2) per year. Although accretion rates and the resulting surface elevation change largely determine the resilience of salt marshes to sea-level rise (SLR), the effect of livestock grazing on accretion rates has been little studied. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of livestock grazing on salt-marsh accretion rates. We hypothesise that accretion will be lower in grazed compared to ungrazed salt marshes. In four study sites along the mainland coast of the Wadden Sea (in the south-eastern North Sea), accretion rates, sediment deposition rates, and soil compaction of grazed and ungrazed marshes were analysed using the Cs-137 radionuclide dating method. Accretion rates were on average 11.6 mm yr(-1) during recent decades and thus higher than current and projected rates of SLR. Neither accretion nor sediment deposition rates were significantly different between grazing treatments. Meanwhile, soil compaction was clearly affected by grazing with significantly higher dry bulk density on grazed compared to ungrazed parts. Based on these results, we conclude that other factors influence whether grazing has an effect on accretion and sediment deposition rates and that the effect of grazing on marsh growth does not follow a direct causal chain. It may have a great importance when interacting with other biotic and abiotic processes on the marsh. Crown Copyright (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
", "keywords": ["0106 biological sciences", "F800 - Physical geographical sciences", "550", "137Cs", "geochronology", "SEA-LEVEL RISE", "SURFACE ELEVATION", "01 natural sciences", "630", "Wadden Sea", "inundation", "CS-137", "F820 Geomorphology", "(CS)-C-137", "compaction", "NITROGEN MINERALIZATION", "COASTAL WETLANDS", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences", "land use management", "WADDEN SEA", "15. Life on land", "NORTH-SEA", "13. Climate action", "C180 - Ecology", "TIDAL MARSH", "VEGETATION", "C180 Ecology", "dating", "SW NETHERLANDS"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.10.026"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Estuarine%2C%20Coastal%20and%20Shelf%20Science", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.ecss.2013.10.026", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.ecss.2013.10.026", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.10.026"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2013-12-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1111/gcbb.12401", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-06-26T16:20:41Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2016-09-03", "title": "Investigating The Biochar Effects On C-Mineralization And Sequestration Of Carbon In Soil Compared With Conventional Amendments Using The Stable Isotope (Delta C-13) Approach", "description": "AbstractBiomass\uffe2\uff80\uff90derived black carbon (biochar) is considered to be an effective tool to mitigate global warming by long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term C\uffe2\uff80\uff90sequestration in soil and to influence C\uffe2\uff80\uff90mineralization via priming effects. However, the underlying mechanism of biochar (BC) priming relative to conventional biowaste (BW) amendments remains uncertain. Here, we used a stable carbon isotope (\uffce\uffb413C) approach to estimate the possible biochar effects on native soil C\uffe2\uff80\uff90mineralization compared with various BW additions and potential carbon sequestration. The results show that immediately after application, BC suppresses and then increases C\uffe2\uff80\uff90mineralization, causing a loss of 0.14\uffe2\uff80\uff937.17\uffc2\uffa0mg\uffe2\uff80\uff90CO2\uffe2\uff80\uff93C\uffc2\uffa0g\uffe2\uff88\uff921\uffe2\uff80\uff90C compared to the control (0.24\uffe2\uff80\uff931.86\uffc2\uffa0mg\uffe2\uff80\uff90CO2\uffe2\uff80\uff93C\uffc2\uffa0g\uffe2\uff88\uff921\uffe2\uff80\uff90C) over 1\uffe2\uff80\uff93120\uffc2\uffa0days. Negative priming was observed for BC compared to various BW amendments (\uffe2\uff88\uff9210.22 to \uffe2\uff88\uff9223.56\uffc2\uffa0mg\uffe2\uff80\uff90CO2\uffe2\uff80\uff93C\uffc2\uffa0g\uffe2\uff88\uff921\uffe2\uff80\uff90soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90C); however, it was trivially positive relative to that of the control (8.64\uffc2\uffa0mg\uffe2\uff80\uff90CO2\uffe2\uff80\uff93C\uffc2\uffa0g\uffe2\uff88\uff921\uffe2\uff80\uff90soil\uffe2\uff80\uff90C). Furthermore, according to the residual carbon and \uffce\uffb413C signature of postexperimental soil carbon, BC\uffe2\uff80\uff90C significantly increased (P\uffc2\uffa0<\uffc2\uffa00.05) the soil carbon stock by carbon sequestration in soil compared with various biowaste amendments. The results of cumulative CO2\uffe2\uff80\uff93C emissions, relative priming effects, and carbon storage indicate that BC reduces C\uffe2\uff80\uff90mineralization, resulting in greater C\uffe2\uff80\uff90sequestration compared with other BW amendments, and the magnitude of this effect initially increases and then decreases and stabilizes over time, possibly due to the presence of recalcitrant\uffe2\uff80\uff90C (4.92\uffc2\uffa0mg\uffe2\uff80\uff90C\uffc2\uffa0g\uffe2\uff88\uff921\uffe2\uff80\uff90soil) in BC, the reduced microbial activity, and the sorption of labile organic carbon (OC) onto BC particles.
", "keywords": ["Technology", "Energy & Fuels", "550", "SEA-LEVEL RISE", "PYROLYSIS TEMPERATURE", "WORLD", "DISSOLVED ORGANIC-CARBON", "ATMOSPHERIC CO2", "EMISSIONS", "Science & Technology", "MICROBIAL BIOMASS", "Agriculture", "Biowaste", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "Priming Effects", "Carbon Mineralization", "Agronomy", "Carbon Stable Isotope", "Biochar", "Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology", "POOLS", "13. Climate action", "SHORT-TERM", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "Life Sciences & Biomedicine", "MATTER", "C-sequestration"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12401"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/GCB%20Bioenergy", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/gcbb.12401", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/gcbb.12401", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/gcbb.12401"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2016-11-29T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3354/meps11447", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-06-26T16:23:08Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2015-08-06", "title": "Ecosystem Engineering By Large Grazers Enhances Carbon Stocks In A Tidal Salt Marsh", "description": "Grazers can have a large impact on ecosystem processes and are known to change vegetation composition. However, knowledge of how the long-term presence of grazers affects soil carbon sequestration is limited. In this study, we estimated total accumulated organic carbon in soils of a back-barrier salt marsh and determined how this is affected by long-term grazing by both small and large grazers in relation to age of the ecosystem. In young marshes, where small grazers predominate, hare and geese have a limited effect on total accumulated organic carbon. In older, mature marshes, where large grazers predominate, cattle substantially enhanced carbon content in the marsh soil. We ascribe this to a shift in biomass distribution in the local vegetation towards the roots in combination with trampling effects on the soil chemistry. These large grazers thus act as ecosystem engineers: their known effect on soil compaction (based on a previous study) enhances anoxic conditions in the marsh soil, thereby reducing the oxygen available for organic carbon decomposition by the local microbial community. This study showed that the indirect effects of grazing can significantly enhance soil carbon storage through changing soil abiotic conditions. This process should be taken into account when estimating the role of ecosystems in reducing carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. Ultimately, we propose a testable conceptual framework that includes 3 pathways by which grazers can alter carbon storage: (1) through above-ground biomass removal, (2) through alteration of biomass distribution towards the roots and/or (3) by changing soil abiotic conditions that affect decomposition.
", "keywords": ["Carbon sequestration", "0106 biological sciences", "IMPACT", "SEA-LEVEL RISE", "01 natural sciences", "Coastal wetland", "Climate change", "Biology", "Soil compaction", "Succession", "VEGETATION SUCCESSION", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "CLIMATE-CHANGE", "WETLAND SOILS", "WADDEN SEA", "15. Life on land", "PRODUCTIVITY GRADIENT", "6. Clean water", "Chemistry", "Grazing", "ORGANIC-MATTER", "NORTH-SEA", "REDOX OSCILLATION", "13. Climate action", "Redox potential"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11447"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Marine%20Ecology%20Progress%20Series", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3354/meps11447", "name": "item", "description": "10.3354/meps11447", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3354/meps11447"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2015-10-14T00:00:00Z"}}], "links": [{"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "This document as GeoJSON", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=SEA-LEVEL+RISE&f=json", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "title": "This document as HTML", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=SEA-LEVEL+RISE&f=html", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection URL", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"type": "application/geo+json", "rel": "first", "title": "items (first)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=SEA-LEVEL+RISE&", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "last", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "items (last)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=SEA-LEVEL+RISE&offset=4", "hreflang": "en-US"}], "numberMatched": 4, "numberReturned": 4, "distributedFeatures": [], "timeStamp": "2026-06-26T22:24:04.822363Z"}