Patterns and determinants of plant-derived lignin phenols in coastal wetlands: implications for organic C accumulation

1. As a major plant-derived soil organic carbon (SOC) component, lignin phenols are unique biomarkers that reflect biogeochemical characteristics under different vegetation compositions and climatic zones in coastal wetlands. However, the latitudinal patterns of plant-derived lignin phenols to SOC and their link with the stability and controlling mechanisms remain poorly understood. 2. A total of 156 soil samples from 39 sites along a 5000 km coastal transect, were taken to explore the effects of biological and environmental controls on the patterns of lignin phenols. Lignin phenols had contents ranging from 1.91 to 83.3 mg g−1 OC, and a positive correlation was detected in grass-dominated salt marsh, but a weakly negative correlation in mangrove. Positive correlations between SOC or lignin content and C/V or S/V (the cinnamyl- or syringyl-to-vanillyl) ratios were found, while overall negative correlations between SOC or lignin content and (Ad/Al)V or (Ad/Al)S (the acid-to-aldehyde of v..., Please see the README document  (\"Lignin_content_and_monomer_composition.csv\", \"Site_location.csv\", \"Soil_organic_carbon_content.csv\", \"Soil_properties.csv\", \"Vegetation_and_climate.csv\") and the accompanying published article: Shaopan Xia, Zhaoliang Song, Weiqi Wang, Yaran Fan, Laodong Guo, Lukas Van Zwieten, Iain P. Hartley, Yin Fang, Yidong Wang, Zhenqing Zhang, Cong-Qiang Liu, and Hailong Wang. 2023. Patterns and determinants of plant-derived lignin phenols in coastal wetlands: implications for organic C accumulation. Functional Ecology. Accepted. DOI: 10.5061/dryad.j3tx95xk8, Please see the README document  (\"Lignin_content_and_monomer_composition.csv\", \"Site_location.csv\", \"Soil_organic_carbon_content.csv\", \"Soil_properties.csv\", \"Vegetation_and_climate.csv\") and the accompanying published article: Shaopan Xia, Zhaoliang Song, Weiqi Wang, Yaran Fan, Laodong Guo, Lukas Van Zwieten, Iain P. Hartley, Yin Fang, Yidong Wang, Zhenqing Zhang, Cong-Qiang Liu, and Hailong Wang. 2023. Patterns and determinants of plant-derived lignin phenols in coastal wetlands: implications for organic C accumulation. Functional Ecology. Accepted. DOI: 10.5061/dryad.j3tx95xk8 Â