Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Belowground Biomass Of Spartina Alterniflora: Seasonal Variability And Response To Nutrients, Faith Armand Darby

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Spartina alterniflora is a salt marsh macrophyte found from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico which often provides the dominant plant cover. Although S. alterniflora is well known for its high aboveground productivity, fifty to ninety percent of the total plant production occurs belowground. No previous studies address the seasonal variation of belowground biomass or the response of above-and belowground biomass to nutrients at the southern limits of its U. S. range. The objectives of this study were to: 1) document the seasonal variability of its above- and belowground biomass and test for responses to various combinations of N, P, …