As the impacts of climate change become increasingly pronounced, the role of ecosystems as sinks for atmospheric greenhouse gases has become increasingly important. In particular, wetlands have gained attention due to their high carbon storage capacity relative to their area. This study aimed to compare soil carbon storage and soil respiration between riverine wetlands and forest wetlands in Korea, and to identify key environmental factors influencing these processes. Seasonal surveys were conducted on the soil physical and chemical properties, carbon storage, and soil respiration in two riverine wetlands in the Geum River basin and one forest wetland in Goheung, Jeollanam-do. The analysis showed that the forest wetland stored 425.08±167.32 kg m-2 of carbon, approximately 26 times more than the 101.09±103.56 kg m-2 stored in riverine wetland soils. The forest wetland exhibited slow hydrological flow and low bulk density, creating conditions favorable for organic matter accumulation. Soil respiration measurements showed values of 0.31±0.28 gCO2 m-2 hr-1 in the riverine wetlands and 0.83±0.58 gCO2 m-2 hr-1 in the forest wetland, with no statistically significant difference between the two. Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship with soil temperature (p<0.05) in both wetland types, indicating that temperature is an important factor regulating soil respiration. Additionally, total phosphorus was identified as a key factor in riverine wetlands, whereas pH was a major influencing factor in the forest wetland.

This study aimed to evaluate the carbon sequestration and storage capacity of a riverine back swamp by directly measuring vegetation and soil carbon storage as well as soil respiration-driven carbon fluxes in the Oksong-ri back swamp located in Kongju, Chungcheongnam-do, and to identify their relationships with soil physico-chemical properties. In the study area (28,063.7 m2), Salix triandra and Paspalum distichum communities were dominant. The estimated vegetation carbon storage was 68.7 Mg C ha-1 for the S. triandra community and 3.6 Mg C ha-1 for the P. distichum community, resulting in a total vegetation carbon storage of 72.3 Mg C ha-1 in the back swamp. Soil carbon storage showed no significant seasonal differences, with values of 20.0±2.4, 12.9±5.1, and 17.2±0.4 Mg C ha-1 in Spring, Summer, and Autumn, respectively, although it tended to be higher in spring and lower in Summer. Soil respiration varied significantly by season (p<0.05), with rates of 0.41±0.2 g CO2 m-2 hr-1 in Spring, 1.11±0.5 g CO2 m-2 hr-1 in Summer, and 0.75±0.5 g CO2 m-2 hr-1 in Autumn, exhibiting a weak positive correlation with soil temperature(15.8~33.6°C; R=0.346). Seasonal variations in soil pH (5.9~6.7), T-P (785.4~1,537.2 mg kg-1), gravimetric water content (GWC; 88.8~149.6%), T-N (1,320~2,810 mg kg-1), and C/N ratio (10.8~18.3) were not significant. Correlation analysis revealed that soil carbon storage was positively correlated with T-N (R=0.876, p<0.005) and pH (R=0.639, p<0.05), whereas carbon flux showed a weak positive correlation with GWC (R=0.342, p<0.05) and negative correlations with T-N, T-P, and pH, suggesting that excessive nutrient accumulation may inhibit microbial activity and respiration. This study provides foundational quantitative data on carbon storage and emissions in Korean riverine back marshes and offers scientific evidence to support the development of carbonneutral strategies based on riverine wetland ecosystems.