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Decomposition Of Senescent Blades Of The Seagrass Halodule Wrightii In A Subtropical Lagoon, Stephen Opsahl, Ronald Benner

Faculty Publications

Senescent blades from the seagrass Halodule wrightii Aschers were suspended in the water column of Laguna Madre (Texas, USA) for a period of 419 d, representing the longest seagrass decomposition study to date. The initial stage of decomposition was characterized by a rapid loss of organic matter (36 % in 24 d) attributed to leaching. A total of 76 % of the organic matter from seagrass tissues was lost by the end of the decomposition period. Of the major bulk constituents measured, neutral sugars were most abundant and accounted for 23 % of the ash-free dry wt of the initial …