{
  "abstract": "Understanding how carbon-rich coastal peatlands form is crucial for future carbon storage under environmental change. Phragmites australis (common reed), a key precursor species, facilitates peatland development in saltmarshes by triggering a hydrological switch: creek networks clog through root and organic material accumulation, increasing freshwater retention. Here, we use Holocene peat paleo-records from the Netherlands to reveal past coastal-to-freshwater system transitions consistent with this mechanism. With a numerical biogeomorphic model, we demonstrate how reed expansion reduces creek network complexity, promoting a homogeneous freshwater landscape that further facilitates reed growth. Elevation and vegetation time-series, together with salinity measurements linked to species composition from Saeftinghe (southwestern Netherlands) confirm that reed expansion is associated with creek infilling and a shift in hydrological conditions. Our results identify a strong positive feedback that triggers the hydrological switch accompanied by Phragmites expansion, offering new insight into past peatland establishment and future carbon-rich wetland formation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research",
    "Department of Zoology, Marine Behavioural Ecology Group, University of Cambridge",
    "Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit",
    "Department of Information and Computing Sciences, Utrecht University",
    "Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University",
    "Department of Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute, Utrecht University"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Archontoula Valsamidou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Malou Bastiaanse"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Daphne van der Wal"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Cornelis Kasse"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Gabriele K. Keller"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Maarten G. Kleinhans"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Nathalie Van der Putten"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Max Rietkerk"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Johan van de Koppel"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9sh7kz4ggwd3n.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1038/s43247-026-03780-w",
  "fulltext_url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03780-w",
  "id": "9sh7kz4ggwd3n",
  "issns": [
    "2662-4435"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03780-w",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "lcc",
      "GE1-350"
    ],
    [
      "lcc",
      "QE1-996.5"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2303|Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7167739682",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-07-01",
  "publisher": "Nature Portfolio",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9sh7kz4ggwd3n.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-08T14:21:02Z",
      "native_id": "0cc75d8994ef41209e8d3ce88e1633fc",
      "source": "doaj",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03780-w"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2303|Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics",
      "subfield": "ecology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A hydrological switch drives the transition from saltmarsh to peat-forming reedland ecosystems",
  "title_text": "A hydrological switch drives the transition from saltmarsh to peat-forming reedland ecosystems",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-10T14:21:06Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9sh7kz4ggwd3n",
  "venue": "Communications Earth & Environment",
  "versions": []
}