Salinity affects topsoil organic carbon concentrations through regulating vegetation structure and productivity

However, there are still uncertainties about the response of soil carbon stocks to enhanced soil salinization caused by accelerated sea-level rises and aggravated saltwater intrusion. We therefore conducted both field investigations in the Chongming Dongtan salt marsh of the Yangtze River Estuary, China, and manipulative experiments on marsh soils occupied respectively by the invasive Spartina alterniflora, and the native Phragmites australis and Scirpus mariqueter, to identify the effects of elevated soil salinity on top soil organic carbon concentration.

This dataset consists of two tables listed below. Table S1: Sampling data for invasive ( Spartina alterniflora ) and native ( Phragmites australis and Scirpus mariqueter ) species in the Chongming Dongtan salt marsh of the Yangtze River Estuary, China. Table S2 : Responses of invasive ( Spartina alterniflora ) and native ( Phragmites australis and Scirpus mariqueter ) species to six flooding salinity treatments (0, 5, 10, 15, 25 and 35 ppt).