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Influence of Spartina Alterniflora on Nitrogen Loss from Marsh Soil¹

ABSTRACT

The influence of Spartina alterniflora, a common salt marsh macrophyte, on loss of NH₄⁺-N from a Louisiana salt marsh soil was examined in the greenhouse. Labelled NH₄⁺-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 NH₄⁺-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.

¹ Contribution from the Laboratory for Wetland Soils and Sediments, Center for Wetland Resources, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. This work is a result of research sponsored by the Louisiana Sea Grant Program, part of the National Sea Grant Program maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

² Former Graduate Research Assistant, Research Associate, and Boyd Professor, respectively. R. J. Buresh is presently employed as a soil scientist in the Upland Nitrogen Program at the International Fertilizer Development Center, P.O. Box 2040, Muscle Shoals, AL 35660.

Received for publication October 23, 1980. Accepted for publication February 18, 1981.