The effect of anaerobic remineralization of the seagrass Halophila stipulacea on porewater biogeochemistry in the Gulf of Aqaba

Seagrasses are marine flowering plants that play an important role in mitigating climate change by carbon sequestration. While only covering 0.2% of the ocean floor, seagrasses store over 15% of accumulated global carbon in the ocean’s sediments. The oxidizing microenvironments around their roots create strong and complex redox gradients which greatly affect microbial carbon mineralization rates in marine sediments. Despite seagrasses’ enormous ecological services as habitat and climate regulators, they are rapidly degrading around the world at alarming rates. Therefore, understanding the chemical changes and feedback that occur in sediments following the disappearance of seagrasses holds ecological importance.

We incubated different compartments of the tropical seagrass Halophila stipulacea (old and young leaves, rhizomes, or roots) with two sediment types from the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. We measured the chemical changes in major ions (DIC, Fe²⁺, H₂S, SO₄^2-) and sulfur isotope ratios in sulfate within the water. We used these measurements to calculate the remineralization rate of each seagrass compartment. Our results aid us in predicting the potential effects of H. stipulacea disappearance on key microbial processes in the marine environment.

We show that the rhizomes had the fastest decomposition rates, followed by the young leaves, roots, and old leaves. This indicates the preservation potential of belowground biomass. Moreover, high hydrogen sulfide concentrations were only detected in the slurries containing rhizomes and young leaves. High sulfide concentrations can lead to enhanced seagrass mortality and a positive feedback loop where seagrass loss generates sulfide, leading to more seagrass loss. These results emphasize the importance of a deeper understanding of biogeochemical pathways following seagrass disappearance.