Departmental Seminar

Mangrove wetlands store a lot of carbon in their soils and are expanding into salt marshes along the Texas coast due to climate change. This shift in vegetation may also change how the soil’s microbes behave—especially those involved in producing and consuming methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. This research studied how microbial communities and their activity vary over time, depth, and plant type (mangrove vs. salt marsh). By analyzing both DNA (who's there) and RNA (who's active), the study found that active microbes have a big influence on the soil’s chemistry. Methane emissions were higher at night than during the day, showing that time of day matters when measuring greenhouse gases. Interestingly, microbes that make methane often lived alongside microbes that consume it, suggesting some natural balancing of emissions. While different plants hosted different microbial communities, their overall functions were similar, indicating that the system might stay stable even as vegetation changes. Understanding these microbial processes is essential for predicting how coastal wetlands will respond to environmental changes and continue to store carbon in the future.