Characterizing Microtopography and its Impact on Carbon Dynamics in Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands

The microtopography of wetlands has been found to significantly influence the spatial distribution of wetland methane emissions, with significantly higher emissions occurring from hollows as compared to hummocks. However, there is very scarce information available on the influence of microtopography on carbon (C) fluxes in tidal freshwater forested wetlands (TFFW). Quantification of C emissions and C sequestration with respect to microtopography will not only enhance our knowledge of the soil C pool associated with wetlands but also assist us in designing management strategies to prevent further wetland degradation and protect the ecosystem services provided by these coastal wetland systems. The quantification of microtopography and in turn their relationship to ecosystem control points can assist us in understanding their impact on wetland functions and particularly the role of TFFW in C sequestration and GHG emissions. This study will quantify the topography of TFFW at fine scales using aerial and terrestrial LiDAR and compare the resultant microtopography to analyze the impact of C flux variation with microtopography. We believe that by understanding the microtopography at fine scale we can refine our understanding of its impact on ecological drivers and C dynamics in TFFW.