Abstract
This paper documents the role of salt marsh algal mats in the productivity of a southern California tidal wetland. The productivity of the mats, which are composed of filamentous bluegreen and green algae and diatoms, varies both temporally and spatially in relation to tidal inundation and overstory vegetation. The estimates of net primary productivity (NPP) were highest under the canopy ofJaumea carnosa (Less.) Gray (341 g C m−2 yr−1) at low elevation. Elsewhere, NPP appeared to be limited by low light (276 g C m−2 yr−1 underSpartina foliosa Trin.) and desiccation (185 g C m−2 yr−1 underBatis martima L. and 253 g C m−2 yr−1 underMonanthochloe littoralis Engelm).
Algal NPP was from 0.8 to 1.4 times that of the vascular plant overstory NPP. It is hypothesized that the arid environment of southern California and resulting hypersaline soils reduce vascular plant cover, which leads to high algal productivity.
Keywords
Salt Marsh Gross Primary Productivity Algal Productivity Tijuana Estuary Overstory VegetationPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Literature Cited
- Admiraal, W. 1977. Influence of light and temperature on the growth rate of estuarine benthic diatoms in culture.Mar. Biol. 39:1–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Barbour, M. G., andC. B. Davis. 1970. Salt tolerance of five California salt marsh plants.Am. Midl. Nat. 84:262–265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Burkholder, P. R., A. Repak, andJ. Sibert. 1965. Studies on some Long Island littoral communities of microorganisms and their primary productivity.Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 92:378–402.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Cadée, G. C., andJ. Hegeman. 1977. Distribution of primary production of the benthic microflora and accumulation of organic matter on a tidal flat area, Balgzand, Dutch Wadden Sea.Neth. J. Sea Res. 11:24–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Colijn, F., andG. van Buurt. 1975. Influence of light and temperature on the photosynthetic rate of marine benthic diatoms.Mar. Biol. 31:209–214.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Dawes, C. J., R. E. Moon, andM. A. Davis. 1978. The photosynthetic and respiratory rates and tolerances of benthic algae from a mangrove and salt marsh estuary: a comparative study.Estuarine Coastal Mar. Sci. 6:175–185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Gallagher, J. L., andF. C. Daiber. 1974. Primary production of edaphic algal communities in a Delaware salt marsh.Limnol. Oceanogr. 19:390–395.Google Scholar
- Hunding, C., andB. T. Hargrave. 1973. A comparison of benthic microalgal production measured by C14 and oxygen methods.J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 30:309–312.Google Scholar
- Johnson, W. S., A. Gigon, S. L. Gulmon, andH. A. Mooney. 1974. Comparative photosynthetic capacities of intertidal algae under exposed and submerged conditions.Ecology 55:450–453.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Joint, I. R. 1978. Microbial production of an estuarine mudflat.Estuarine Coastal Mar. Sci. 7:185–195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Leach, J. H. 1970. Epibenthic algal production in an interitdal mudflat.Limnol. Oceanogr. 15:514–521.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Marshall, N., C. A. Oviatt, andD. M. Skauen. 1971. Productivity of the benthic microflora of shoal estuarine environments in southern New England.Int. Revue Ges. Hydrobiol. 56:947–956.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- McIntire, C. D. 1968. Structural characteristics of benthic algal communities in laboratory streams.Ecology 49:520–537.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Nienhuis, P. H. 1978. Dynamics of benthic algal vegetation and environment in Dutch estuarine salt marshes, studied by means of permanent quadrats.Vegetatio 38:103–112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Pamatmat, M. M. 1968. Ecology and metabolism of a benthic community on an intertidal sandflat.Int. Revue Ges. Hydrobiol. 53:211–298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Pomeroy, L. R. 1959. Algal productivity in salt marshes of Georgia.Limnol. Oceanogr. 4:386–397.Google Scholar
- Pomeroy, W. M., andJ. G. Stockner. 1976. Effects of environmental disturbance on the distribution and primary production of benthic algae on a British Columbia estuary.J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 33:1175–1187.Google Scholar
- Richards, L. A. (ed.). 1954. Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkali soils. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Handbook No. 60.Google Scholar
- Riznyk, R., andH. K. Phinney. 1972. Manometric assessment of interstitial microalgae production in two estuarine sediments.Oecologia 10:193–203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Riznyk, R. Z., J. I. Edens, andR. C. Libby. 1978. Production of epibenthic diatoms in a southern California impounded estuary.J. Phycol. 14:273–279.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Sage, W. W., andM. J. Sullivan. 1978. Distribution of bluegreen algae in a Mississippi Gulf Coast salt marsh.J. Phycol. 14:333–337.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Sullivan, M. J. 1975. Diatom communities from a Delaware salt marsh.J. Phycol. 11:384–390.Google Scholar
- — 1978. Diatom community structure: taxonomic and statistical analyses of a Mississippi salt marsh.J. Physiol. 14:468–475.Google Scholar
- Taylor, R. W. 1978. 1976–1977 Solar radiation data for San Diego County. San Diego Gas & Electric Co., San Diego, CA.Google Scholar
- Taylor, W. R. 1964. Light and photosynthesis in intertidal benthic diatoms.Helgoländer Wiss. Meeresunters. 10:29–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Turner, R. E. 1976. Geographic variations in salt marsh macrophyte production: a review.Contrib. Mar. Sci. 20:47–68.Google Scholar
- Teal, J. M. 1962. Energy flow in the salt marsh ecosystem of Georgia.Ecology 43:614–624.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Van Raalte, C. D., I. Valiela, andJ. M. Teal. 1976a. Production of epibenthic salt marsh algae: light and nutrient limitation.Limnol. Oceanogr. 21:862–872.Google Scholar
- ——, and —. 1976b. The effect of fertilization on species composition of salt marsh diatoms.Water Res. 10:1–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Williams, R. B. 1962. The ecology of diatom populations in a Georgia salt marsh. Ph.D. Thesis, Harvard Univ.Google Scholar
- Winfield, T. P., andJ. Zedler. 1977. Grass and succulent productivity: a comparison in a southern California salt marsh.Bull. Ecol. Soc. Amer. 58:10.Google Scholar
- Zedler, J. B. 1977. Salt marsh community structure in the Tijuana Estuary, California.Estuarine Coastal Mar. Sci. 5:39–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- —,T. Winfield, andD. Mauriello. 1978. Primary productivity in a southern California estuary, p. 649–662.In Coastal Zone ’78, v. II. American Society of Civil Engineers, New York.Google Scholar