Primary production of edaphic algal communities in a Mississippi salt marsh
Primary production rates of edaphic algae associated with the sediments beneath four monospecific canopies of vascular plants were determined over an annual cycle in a Mississippi salt marsh. The edaphic algal flora was dominated by small, motile pennate diatoms. Algal production (as measured by /sup 14/C uptake) was generally highest in spring-early summer and lowest in fall. Hourly rates ranged from a low of 1.4 mg C/m/sup 2/ in Juncus roemerianus Scheele to a high of 163 mg C/m/sup 2/ beneath the Scirpus olneyi Gray canopy. Stepwise multiple regressions identified a soil moisture index and chlorophyll a as the best environmental predictors of hourly production; light energy reaching the marsh surface and sediment and air temperature proved of little value. Adding the relative abundances of 33 diatom taxa to the set of independent variables only slightly increased R/sup 2/; however, virtually all variables selected were diatom taxa. R/sup 2/ was only 0.38 for the Spartina alterniflora Loisel. habitat but ranged from 0.70 to 0.87 for the remaining three vascular plant zones. Annual rates of algal production (g C/m/sup 2/) were estimated as follows: Juncus (28), Spartina (57), Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene (88), and Scirpus (151). The ratio of annual edaphic algal production to vascular plant net aerial production (EAP/VPP) was 10-12% for the first three habitats and 61% for Scirpus. Chlorophyll a concentrations, annual algal production rates, and EAP/VPP values were comparable to those determined in Texas, Delaware, and Massachusetts salt marshes but lower than those reported for Georgia and particularly California marshes.
- Research Organization:
- Mississippi State Univ., Mississippi State (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6079357
- Journal Information:
- J. Phycol.; (United States), Vol. 24:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
DIATOMS
PRODUCTIVITY
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CHLOROPHYLL
HABITAT
MARSHES
MISSISSIPPI
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
ALGAE
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHROMOPHYCOTA
ECOSYSTEMS
FEDERAL REGION IV
HETEROCYCLIC ACIDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MATHEMATICS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYTOCHROMES
PIGMENTS
PLANTS
PORPHYRINS
PROTEINS
STATISTICS
USA
WETLANDS
550501* - Metabolism- Tracer Techniques