Reconstructing extreme climatic and geochemical conditions during the largest natural mangrove dieback on record

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dc.contributor.authorSippo, JZen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSantos, IRen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSanders, CJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorGadd, PSen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHua, Qen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLovelock, CEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSantini, NSen_AU
dc.contributor.authorJohnston, SGen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHarada, Yen_AU
dc.contributor.authorReithmeir, Gen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMaher, DTen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2021-06-27T21:54:03Zen_AU
dc.date.available2021-06-27T21:54:03Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2020-02-28en_AU
dc.date.statistics2021-06-11en_AU
dc.descriptionThis work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.en_AU
dc.description.abstractA massive mangrove dieback event occurred in 2015–2016 along ∼ 1000 km of pristine coastline in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. Here, we use sediment and wood chronologies to gain insights into geochemical and climatic changes related to this dieback. The unique combination of low rainfall and low sea level observed during the dieback event had been unprecedented in the preceding 3 decades. A combination of iron (Fe) chronologies in wood and sediment, wood density and estimates of mangrove water use efficiency all imply lower water availability within the dead mangrove forest. Wood and sediment chronologies suggest a rapid, large mobilization of sedimentary Fe, which is consistent with redox transitions promoted by changes in soil moisture content. Elemental analysis of wood cross sections revealed a 30- to 90-fold increase in Fe concentrations in dead mangroves just prior to their mortality. Mangrove wood uptake of Fe during the dieback is consistent with large apparent losses of Fe from sediments, which potentially caused an outwelling of Fe to the ocean. Although Fe toxicity may also have played a role in the dieback, this possibility requires further study. We suggest that differences in wood and sedimentary Fe between living and dead forest areas reflect sediment redox transitions that are, in turn, associated with regional variability in groundwater flows. Overall, our observations provide multiple lines of evidence that the forest dieback was driven by low water availability coinciding with a strong El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event and was associated with climate change. © Author(s) 2020.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationSippo, J. Z., Santos, I. R., Sanders, C. J., Gadd, P., Hua, Q., Lovelock, C. E., Santini, N. S., Johnston, S. G., Harada, Y., Reithmeir, G. & Maher, D. T. (2020). Reconstructing extreme climatic and geochemical conditions during the largest natural mangrove dieback on record. Biogeosciences, 17(18), 4707-4726. doi:10.5194/bg-17-4707-2020en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1726-4189en_AU
dc.identifier.issue18en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleBiogeosciencesen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination4707-4726en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4707-2020en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/10891en_AU
dc.identifier.volume17en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherEuropean Geosciences Union (EGU)en_AU
dc.subjectClimatic changeen_AU
dc.subjectSouthern Oscillationen_AU
dc.subjectGeochemistryen_AU
dc.subjectMangrovesen_AU
dc.subjectSedimentsen_AU
dc.subjectSoilsen_AU
dc.subjectRainen_AU
dc.subjectGround wateren_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectIronen_AU
dc.titleReconstructing extreme climatic and geochemical conditions during the largest natural mangrove dieback on recorden_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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