Decomposition and nutrients dynamics in a Spartina alterniflora marsh of the Bahía Blanca estuary, Argentina

VANESA L. NEGRIN; GABRIELA GONZÁLEZ TRILLA; PATRICIA KANDUS; JORGE E. MARCOVECCHIO

BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF OCEANOGRAPHY

INST OCEANOGRAFICO

Lugar: São Paulo; Año: 2012 vol. 60 p. 259 - 263

1679-8759

Decomposition of aboveground and belowground biomass was determined from the disappearance of material from litter bags. Since the decomposition rates at our study site are low, the contribution of this process to the dynamics of nutrients in the estuarine system would be long-term. Moreover, the fluctuations in the concentration of nutrients during the process should be taken into account. However, given the production of S. alterniflora in the Bahía Blanca estuary (GONZÁLEZ TRILLA et al., 2009) and the expansion of these salt marshes over recent years (FEDERICI et al., 2003; MAZZON et al., 2009), the role of this process in the dynamics of nutrients and organic matter in this system should not be overlooked and further research into it is desirable.