In order to study the spatial and temporal distribution of soil organic carbon in wetland under different disturbance levels

we selected four study areas disturbed with different levels (Huanghekou station

Yiqianer station

Dongying port and Wuhaozhang) in the Yellow River Delta to investigate the organic carbon content

organic carbon density and organic carbon storage of different vegetation communities. The results showed that organic carbon content

organic carbon density and organic carbon storage in Yiqianer station

Dongying port

Wuhaozhuang and Huanghekou station were 3.504

3.433

3.698 and 3.815 g/kg

4.84

4.58

5.02 and 5.56 kg/m2

and 4237.00

3807.42

4272.77 and 4917.63 t/km2

respectively

in May

while the parameters for the four study areas in August were 3.90

3.63

3.45 and 3.62 g/kg

5.32

4.83

4.46 and 5.25 kg/m2

and 4588.02

4010.10

3614.95 and 4623.12 t/km2. The organic carbon content

organic carbon density and organic carbon storage per unit area were smaller in Dongying port and Wuhaozhuang with strong disturbance. The organic carbon contents of bare flats were lower than those of wetlands with vegetation. The organic carbon content and organic carbon density of Spartina alterniflora wetlands were higher than those of other wetlands in May

while in August the organic carbon storage per unit area of Phragmites australis wetland in Huanghekou station and Yiqianer station were higher than those of S. alterniflora wetlands. Human activities had great influence on organic carbon content

organic carbon density and organic carbon storage of costal wetland

and protecting integrity of wetland played an important role in reducing carbon emission and maintaining the carbon sink function of coastal wetlands.