Bartolucci and Fulweiler assess impact of sediment on salt marshes as nitrogen removers
A conceptual diagram showing how the push-pull, isotope pairing technique (PPIPT) used in the study works. Figure provided by Bartolucci, N.N. and Fulweiler, R.W. (2026).
Nia Bartolucci and Wally Fulweiler published a study assessing how the management practices of sediment addition to salt marsh ecosystems impacts nitrogen removal.
Scientific Significance Statement: “As sea level threatens the survival of salt marshes and the ecosystem services they provide, such as nitrogen removal via the microbially mediated denitrification pathway, sediment addition is being used to increase marsh resiliency. While sediment addition has been successful in boosting marsh elevation and allowing vegetation regrowth, it is unknown how it impacts N cycling, specifically denitrification. We found that total denitrification was higher in marsh areas amended with sediment compared to those without sediment addition, suggesting that this management technique preserves the ability of marshes to remove nitrogen.”
Read the open access paper in Limnology and Oceanography Letters to learn more.
Citation: Bartolucci, N.N. and Fulweiler, R.W. (2026), In situ denitrification rates from a salt marsh after sediment addition. Limnol. Oceanogr. Lett, 11: e70110. https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.70110
