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Peer-reviewedCC BYCommunications Earth & Environment

A hydrological switch drives the transition from saltmarsh to peat-forming reedland ecosystems

  • Archontoula Valsamidou1
  • Malou Bastiaanse2
  • Daphne van der Wal1
  • Cornelis Kasse3
  • Gabriele K. Keller4
  • Maarten G. Kleinhans5
  • Nathalie Van der Putten3
  • Max Rietkerk6
  • Johan van de Koppel1
6 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research
  2. 2Department of Zoology, Marine Behavioural Ecology Group, University of Cambridge
  3. 3Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit
  4. 4Department of Information and Computing Sciences, Utrecht University
  5. 5Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University
  6. 6Department of Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute, Utrecht University
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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.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{valsamidou2026hydrological,
  title = {{A hydrological switch drives the transition from saltmarsh to peat-forming reedland ecosystems}},
  author = {Archontoula Valsamidou and Malou Bastiaanse and Daphne van der Wal and Cornelis Kasse and Gabriele K. Keller and Maarten G. Kleinhans and Nathalie Van der Putten and Max Rietkerk and Johan van de Koppel},
  journal = {Communications Earth \& Environment},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.1038/s43247-026-03780-w},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03780-w},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - A hydrological switch drives the transition from saltmarsh to peat-forming reedland ecosystems
AU  - Archontoula Valsamidou
AU  - Malou Bastiaanse
AU  - Daphne van der Wal
AU  - Cornelis Kasse
AU  - Gabriele K. Keller
AU  - Maarten G. Kleinhans
AU  - Nathalie Van der Putten
AU  - Max Rietkerk
AU  - Johan van de Koppel
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/01
JO  - Communications Earth & Environment
DO  - 10.1038/s43247-026-03780-w
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03780-w
AB  - 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.
SN  - 2662-4435
ER  -