Characterizing the ecology and soil biogeochemistry of wetland transition zones along the Satilla River Estuary, GA, USA.

The location of salinity gradients in coastal wetlands, from tidal freshwater sourced from riverine inputs to polyhaline sourced from saline ocean water, is subject to natural and unnatural shifts due to climactic patterns such as changes in discharge, sea-level rise (SLR), and alterations to hydrology. Increased inundation in of saltwater in the Satilla River has resulted in conversions of plant communities from fresh or brackish to salt tolerant species that has implications for belowground soil biogeochemistry. These data explore the translation of aboveground properties to soil properties in transitional wetlands in poly-, meso-, and oligohaline regions and across elevation gradients from levee to platform in the Satilla River Estuary, GA by characterizing the ecological communities and soil size fractionation, total organic carbon content (TOC) and composition (delta13C).