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Influence of hydraulics on the uptake of ammonium by two freshwater plants
Author(s) -
Bal Kris D.,
Brion Natacha,
WouléEbongué Veronique,
Schoelynck Jonas,
Jooste Antoinette,
Barrón Cristina,
Dehairs Frank,
Meire Patrick,
Bouma Tjeerd J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
freshwater biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.297
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2427
pISSN - 0046-5070
DOI - 10.1111/fwb.12222
Subject(s) - macrophyte , ammonium , nutrient , shoot , biogeochemistry , botany , nitrogen , aquatic plant , chemistry , environmental chemistry , biology , ecology , organic chemistry
Summary Macrophytes are important in the biogeochemistry of flowing rivers, although most information so far has relied on measurements of nutrients in plant tissues. This yields only indirect information on the nutrient uptake fluxes by roots and shoots and about nutrient translocation between roots and shoots. Here, we studied nitrogen uptake through experiments with enriched 15 N stable isotopes. Two macrophytes ( P otamogeton natans and R anunculus fluitans ) were grown in a closed race track‐shaped flume, allowing us to control the hydraulic conditions in and around the plants. Overall ammonium uptake rates (μmol g −1 dry mass h −1 ) were higher for R . fluitans than P . natans . In addition to differences between the species, the spatial position of individuals within the plant patch and water flow were also important in explaining ammonium uptake. Thus, ammonium uptake was high at the leading edge of the patch and increased with velocity. Plant characteristic, such as the angle at which the plants bent in the flow, was also correlated with ammonium uptake. Differences in nutrient uptake associated with hydrodynamic parameters raised the question of how the two are related. For both species, uptake was not correlated with R eynolds stress, indicating the poor effect of turbulent mixing in determining ammonium uptake.