Reply to comment by L. R. Gardner on Spatial organization and ecohydrological interactions in oxygen-limited vegetation ecosystems

Gardner [2009] proposes an evaluation of the salt budget in tidal marsh soils based on the model presented by Marani et al. [2006], where we have shown that an aerated soil layer can persist below the flooded marsh surface when evapotranspiration is sufficiently high as compared to the vertical infiltration allowed by the soil hydraulic conductivity. He notes that evapotranspiration corresponds to a salt influx which tends to increase soil salinity and examines possible salt dilution mechanisms that could balance such an effect. He concludes that none of the dilution mechanisms considered can counteract the effects of evapotranspiration and that, in a matter of a relatively short time, the salinity stress on marsh plants would be so high as to terminate any transpiration.