Ecosystem carbon budget conceptual diagram

Conceptualization of components of the carbon (C) budget for upper estuarine tidal wetlands, including aboveground standing stocks (C_AG), belowground standing stocks (C_BG), C mass balance (C_in − C_out), soil C burial (C_B), and lateral C fluxes (C_I/E) along with a photographic series from our representative (a) Upper, (b) Middle, (c) Lower, and (d) Marsh sites. Photographs depict general habitat appearances as tidal freshwater forested wetlands transition to oligohaline marshes with salinity change from fresh water (<0.5 psu) to oligohaline marsh (0.5–5.0 psu) along the Waccamaw and Savannah Rivers. R_c = canopy respiration; R_RMR = soil rhizomicrobial respiration (including decomposition); R_RR = root respiration; OM = organic matter.