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Influence of Spartina Alterniflora on Nitrogen Loss from Marsh Soil
Author(s) -
Buresh R. J.,
DeLaune R. D.,
Patrick W. H.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1981.03615995004500030045x
Subject(s) - spartina alterniflora , salt marsh , environmental science , nitrification , marsh , nitrogen , chemistry , agronomy , environmental chemistry , wetland , ecology , biology , organic chemistry
The influence of Spartina alterniflora , a common salt marsh macrophyte, on loss of NH 4 + ‐N from a Louisiana salt marsh soil was examined in the greenhouse. Labelled NH 4 + ‐N, equivalent to approximately 100 µg N/g soil, was added in 10 installments over 18 weeks to undrained soil cores with and without stands of S. alterniflora . In the presence of S. alterniflora , 93% and 94% of the added N was recovered from constantly flooded and alternately flooded and dried soil, respectively. In the absence of S. alterniflora , loss of added NH 4 + ‐N was greater; only about 56% of the added N was recovered from constantly flooded soil. Actively growing S. alterniflora apparently assimilated the inorganic soil N before it could be lost in gaseous form via nitrification‐denitrification reactions.