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Metabolic Activity Of The Epiphytic Community Associated With Spartina Alterniflora, Wilmer C. Stowe, James G. Gosselink

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Primary production and respiration rates were determined for two epiphytic communities associated with Spartina alternifloraLoisel., in the southwestern Barataria Bay area of Louisiana. The communities studied were: (1) a shoreline community and (2) a community 1.5 meters inland from the shoreline site. Annual mean net production and respiration rates for the shoreline community were 25.8 and -19.6 mg C • (m² substrate area)^-1 • h^-1 respectively;whereas the inland community showed corresponding rates of -3.3 and -12.5 mg C • (m² substrate area)^-1 • h^-1, respectively. Thus, the shoreline community was a net …