Trevathan-Tackett, Stacey MKepfer-Rojas, SebastianMalerba, MartinoMacreadie, Peter IDjukic, IkaZhao, JunbinYoung, Erica BYork, Paul HYeh, Shin-ChengXiong, YanmeiWinters, GidonWhitlock, DanielleWeaver, Carolyn AWatson, AnneVisby, IngerTylkowski, JacekTrethowan, AllisonTiegs, ScottTaylor, BenSzpikowski, JozefSzpikowska, GrażynaStrickland, Victoria LStivrins, NormundsSousa, Ana ISinutok, SutineeScheffel, Whitney ASantos, RuiSanderman, JonathanSánchez-Carrillo, SalvadorSanchez-Cabeza, Joan-AlbertRymer, Krzysztof GRuiz-Fernandez, Ana CarolinaRobroek, Bjorn J MRoberts, TessaRicart, Aurora MReynolds, Laura KRachlewicz, GrzegorzPrathep, AnchanaPinsonneault, Andrew JPendall, ElisePayne, RichardOzola, IlzeOnufrock, CodyOla, AnneOberbauer, Steven FNumbere, Aroloye ONovak, Alyssa BNorkko, JoannaNorkko, AlfMozdzer, Thomas JMorgan, PamMontemayor, Diana IMartin, Charles WMalone, Sparkle LMajor, MaciejMajewski, MikołajLundquist, Carolyn JLovelock, Catherine ELiu, SonglinLin, Hsing-JuhLillebo, AnaLi, JinquanKominoski, John SKhuroo, Anzar AhmadKelleway, Jeffrey JJinks, Kristin IJerónimo, DanielJanousek, ChristopherJackson, Emma LIribarne, OscarHanley, TorranceHamid, MaroofGupta, ArjunGuariento, Rafael DGrudzinska, Ievada Rocha Gripp, AndersonGonzález Sagrario, María AGarrison, Laura MGagnon, KarineGacia, EsperançaFusi, MarcoFarrington, LachlanFarmer, Jennyde Assis Esteves, FranciscoEscapa, MauricioDomańska, MonikaDias, André T CBarrena de los Santos, CarmenDaffonchio, DanieleCzyryca, Paweł MConnolly, Rod MCobb, AlexanderChudzińska, MariaChristiaen, BartChifflard, PeterCastelar, SaraCarneiro, Luciana SCardoso-Mohedano, José GilbertoCamden, MeganCaliman, AdrianoBulmer, Richard HBowen, JenniferBoström, ChristofferBernal, SusanaBerges, John ABenavides, Juan CBarry, Savanna CAlatalo, Juha MAl-Haj, Alia NAdame, Maria Fernanda2025-02-072025-02-072024-12-1039587399http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/26756Patchy global data on belowground litter decomposition dynamics limit our capacity to discern the drivers of carbon preservation and storage across inland and coastal wetlands. We performed a global, multiyear study in over 180 wetlands across 28 countries and 8 macroclimates using standardized litter as measures of "recalcitrant" (rooibos tea) and "labile" (green tea) organic matter (OM) decomposition. Freshwater wetlands and tidal marshes had the highest tea mass remaining, indicating a greater potential for carbon preservation in these ecosystems. Recalcitrant OM decomposition increased with elevated temperatures throughout the decay period, e.g., increase from 10 to 20 °C corresponded to a 1.46-fold increase in the recalcitrant OM decay rate constant. The effect of elevated temperature on labile OM breakdown was ecosystem-dependent, with tidally influenced wetlands showing limited effects of temperature compared with freshwater wetlands. Based on climatic projections, by 2050 wetland decay constants will increase by 1.8% for labile and 3.1% for recalcitrant OM. Our study highlights the potential for reduction in belowground OM in coastal and inland wetlands under increased warming, but the extent and direction of this effect at a large scale is dependent on ecosystem and OM characteristics. Understanding local versus global drivers is necessary to resolve ecosystem influences on carbon preservation in wetlands.engTeaComposition H2OBlue carbonMacroclimateTea bagsTeal carbonjournal article