Abstract
The effects of simulated saltwater intrusions on the growth and survival of the freshwater angiosperm,Vallisneria americana Michx., from the Caloosahatchee estuary (southwest Florida, USA) were examined experimentally using indoor mesocosms. Intrusions were simulated by raising salinity in the mesocosms to 18‰ for varying durations and then returning the salinity to 3‰. In separate experiments, exposures of short duration (1, 5, 11, and 20 d) and long duration (20, 30, 50, and 70 d) were examined. Plants held at a constant 3‰ served as controls. Mortality was proportional to the duration of exposure. Statistically significant (p<0.05) losses of blades and shoots occurred at exposures of 20 d or longer, although during a l-mo recovery period at 3‰ viable plants survived the 70-d exposure to 18‰. Expressed as a percentage of initial levels, the extent of recovery after 1 mo was proportional to duration of exposure.V. americana can survive the salinity stress associated with most intrusions of salt water in the upper Caloosahatchee estuary.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Bortone, S. A. andR. K. Turpin. 2000. Tapegrass life history metrics associated with environmental variables in a controlled estuary, p. 65–79.In S. A. Bortone (ed.), Seagrass Monitoring, Ecology, Physiology and Management. C.R.C. Press, Boca Raton, Florida.
Bourn, W. S. 1932. Ecological and physiological studies on certain aquatic angiosperms.Contributions from Boyce Thompson Institute 4:425–496.
Bourn, W. S. 1934. Sea-water tolerance ofVallisneria spiralis L. andPotomogeton foliosus Raf.Contributions from Boyce Thompson Institute 6:303–308.
Carter, V., J. W. Barko, G. L. Godshalk, andN. B. Rybicki. 1988. Effects of submersed macrophytes on water quality in the tidal Potomac River, Maryland.Journal of Freshwater Ecology 4:493–501.
Chamberlain, R. H. and P. H. Doering. 1988. Preliminary estimate of optimum inflow to the Caloosahatchee estuary: A resource-based approach, p. 121–130.In S. F. Treat (ed.), Proceedings of the Charlotte Harbor Public Conference and Technical Symposium; 1997 March 15–16; Punta Gorda, Florida. Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program Technical Report No. 98-02. West Palm Beach, Florida.
Dawes, C. J. andJ. M. Lawrence. 1989. Allocation of energy resources in the freshwater angiospermsVallisneria americana Michx. andPotomogeton pectinatus L. in Florida.Florida Scientist 52:59–63.
Doering, P. H., R. H. Chamberlain, K. M. Donohue, andA. D. Steinman. 1999. Effect of salinity on the growth ofVallisneria americana Michx, from the Caloosahatchee estuary, Florida.Florida Scientist 62:89–105.
Fonseca, M. S. andJ. S. Fisher. 1986. A comparison of canopy friction and sediment movement between four species of seagrass and with reference to their ecology and restoration.Marine Ecology Progress Series 29:15–22.
Haller, W. T., D. L. Sutton, andW. C. Barlowe. 1974. Effects of salinity on growth of several aquatic macrophytes.Ecology 55:891–894.
Harley, M. T. andS. Findlay. 1994. Photosynthesis-irradiance relationships for three species of submersed macrophytes in the tidal freshwater Hudson River.Estuaries 17:206–215.
Kemp, W. M., W. R. Boynton, R. R. Twilley, J. C. Stevenson, andL. G. Ward. 1984. Influences of submersed vascular plants on ecological processes in upper Chesapeake Bay, p. 367–394.In V. S. Kennedy (ed.), The Estuary as a Filter. Academic Press, New York.
Keppel, G. 1973. Design and Analysis: A Researcher’s Handbook. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Engelwood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Killgore, K. J., R. P. Morgan II, andN. B. Rybicki. 1989. Distribution and abundance of fishes associated with submersed aquatic plants in the Potomac River.North American Journal of Fisheries Management 9:101–111.
Korschgen, C. E., W. L. Green, andK. P. Kenow. 1997. Effects of irradiance on growth and winter bud production byVallisneria americana and consequences to its abundance and distribution.Aquatic Botany 58:1–9.
Kraemer, G. P., R. H. Chamberlain, P. H. Doering, A. D. Steinman, andM. D. Hanisak. 1999. Physiological response of transplants of the freshwater angiospermVallisneria americana along a salinity gradient in the Caloosahatchee estuary (SW Florida).Estuaries 22:138–148.
Lovett-Doust, J. andG. Laporte. 1991. Population sex ratios, population mixtures, and frecundity in a clonal dioecious macrophyte,Vallisneria americana.Journal of Ecology 79:477–489.
Lowden, R. M. 1982. An approach to the taxonomy ofVallisneria L. (Hydrocharitaceae).Aquatic Botany 13:269–298.
Lubbers, L., W. R. Boynton, andW. M. Kemp. 1990. Variations in structure of estuarine fish communities in relation to abundance of submersed vascular plants.Marine Ecology Progress Series 65:1–14.
SASInstitute Inc. 1989. SAS/STAT User’s Guide Version 6, Fourth Edition, Volume 1 and 2. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, North Carolina.
Thayer, G. W., W. J. Kenworthy, and M. S. Fonseca. 1984. The ecology of eelgrass meadows of the Atlantic Coast: A community profile. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report No. FWS/OBS-84/02. Washington, D.C.
Titus, J. E. andD. T. Hoover. 1991. Toward predicting reproductive success in submersed freshwater angiosperms.Aquatic Botany 41:111–136.
Twilley, R. R. andJ. W. Barko. 1990. The growth of submerged macrophytes under experimental salinity and light conditions.Estuaries 13:311–321.
Winer, B. J. 1971. Statistical Principles in Experimental Design. 2nd edition. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Zieman, J. C. and R. T. Zieman. 1989. The ecology of the seagrass meadows of the west coast of Florida: A community profile. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Report 85(7.25). Washington, D.C.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Doering, P.H., Chamberlain, R.H. & McMunigal, J.M. Effects of simulated saltwater intrusions on the growth and survival of wild celery,Vallisneria americana, from the Caloosahatchee estuary (South Florida). Estuaries 24, 894–903 (2001). https://doi.org/10.2307/1353180
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1353180