INVESTIGADORES
IRIBARNE Oscar Osvaldo
artículos
Título:
Aboveground biomass patterns of dominant Spartina species and their relationship with abiotic variables in the SW Atlantic marshes
Autor/es:
D. I. MONTEMAYOR; A. CANEPUCCIA; J. PASCUAL; O. IRIBARNE,
Revista:
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
Editorial:
SPRINGER
Referencias:
Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2014
ISSN:
1559-2723
Resumen:
Abstract Salt
marsh zonation patterns generate different abiotic and biotic conditions that
can accentuate species inherent differences in primary production and biomass.
In SouthWest Atlantic marshes, there are two Spartina species:
Spartina
alterniflora in
the low intertidal and Spartina densiflora in the
high intertidal. These two species are generally found in all marshes but with
different dominance: In somemarshes, the S.densiflora zone
occupies higher extents, and in others, the S. alterniflora zone
is the one that prevails. We found through field sampling that, in
six studied marshes, there is greater S. densiflora live and total (i.e.,
dead+live) aboveground biomass (g m−2) in the marshes dominated
by S.
densiflora than in
the ones dominated by S. alterniflora. Spartina alterniflora
had
similar aboveground biomass in the six marshes, regardless of the dominance of
each species. When comparing the two Spartina species within each marsh,
S.
densiflora had greater live and total
biomass in the marshes it dominates. In the marshes dominated by S.
alterniflora,
both species had similar live and total biomass. In all marshes, there was
greater dead S.
densiflora biomass.
A multivariate analysis using selected abiotic factors (i.e., salinity,
latitude, and tidal amplitude) showed that S. alterniflora aboveground
biomass patterns are mainly correlated with salinity, while S.
densiflora live
biomass is mainly correlated with salinity and latitude, dead biomass with
salinity and tidal amplitude, and total iomass with salinity alone.We conclude
that in S.
densiflora dominated
marshes, the main processes of that species zone (i.e., nutrient accumulation)
will be accentuated because of its higher biomass. We also conclude that
climatic conditions, in combination with specific Spartina biotic
and ambient abiotic parameters, can affect marsh ecological functions