US EPA

36163 

Book/Book Chapter 

Nutrient limitation in salt marsh vegetation 

Valiela, I; Teal, JM 

1974 

Academic Press 

New York, NY 

Ecology of halophytes 

547-563 

Fertilization with urea and phosphate produced significant increases in dissolved NH4N and PO4P, respectively, in the sediment water of treated salt marsh plots. Standing crops of marsh plants increased in the urea-fertilized plots while the standing crop in swards undergoing phosphate enrichments resembled control standing crops. This response pattern held for total aboveground vegetation and for individual standing crops of Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, and Distichlis spicata. Nitrogen supply therefore is one of the most important limiting factors for salt marsh vegetation. Preliminary results suggest, however, that roots and rhizomes will not show an increase in standing crops in response to fertilization with either phosphorus or nitrogen. The urea enrichments also resulted in a general increase in nitrogen content of aboveground plant tissues, roots, and rhizomes. The increased standing crops and nitrogen contents of aboveground plant parts may be an important source of nitrogenous organic materials exported from salt marshes to nitrogen poorer estuarine waters, particularly where the salt marsh is subject to nitrogen enrichment. 

Salt marshes; Marsh plants; Plant growth; Fertilizers; Wetlands; Marshes; Grasses; Marsh management; Nutrients; Standing crop; Nitrogen; Ureas; Phosphates; Halophytes 

Reimold, RJ; Queen, WH 

9780125864503