Molecular fingerprints of sedimentary dissolved organic matter in mangroves: Importance to blue carbon sequestration

Mangroves are important organic carbon (OC) reservoirs that can mitigate climate changes. Although sedimentary dissolved organic matter (SDOM) has been established as a dominant OC component within these ecosystems, its molecular composition, origin, and fate remain largely unknown. This study examined SDOM molecules from one of the largest peri-urban mangroves and adjacent tidal flats in China by using techniques like absorption fluorescence spectroscopy and ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry. We found that SDOM in mangroves differs significantly from that in non-mangrove ecosystems. The presence of mangroves created higher levels of N- and S-containing SDOM molecules with depth and exhibited higher lability. However, the suboxic mangrove sediments may limit microbial activity, promoting labile SDOM preservation. Mangrove litter also contributed to the formation of carboxyl-rich alicyclic molecules in sediments, potentially transforming into biologically refractory SDOM that acts as OC sinks. As the understanding of molecular fingerprints of SDOM in mangroves is still at early stages, these findings provide molecular-level evidence that mangrove sediments promote the OC sequestration through preservation and transformation processes. This study offers crucial insights into the role of SDOM in carbon sequestration and the method could be applied into other blue carbon ecosystems.