Light-dark O2 dynamics in submerged leaves of C3 and C4 halophytes under increased dissolved CO2: Clues for saltmarsh response to climate change

Global warming and climate change, as driving forces of sea level rise, tend to increase marsh submersion periods and also modify the carbonate chemistry of the water column due to the increased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. In a study published in AoB PLANTS, Duarte et al. found photosynthetic enhancement due to increased dissolved CO2 for both C3 and C4 halophytes. Transposing these findings to the ecosystem, and assuming increased dissolved CO2 concentration scenarios, these results demonstrated a new ecosystem function for the halophyte community, by increasing the water column oxygenation, thus reinforcing their role as principal primary producers of the estuarine system.