Summary
Growth cycles and production of aboveground and belowground giant cutgrass (Zizaniopsis miliacea (Michx.) Doell and Asch.) were studied in a freshwater tidal marsh along the lower Savannah River near Savannah, Georgia, USA. Minimum aboveground live standing crop (142 g/m2) occurred in March with a steady increase thereafter to an October maximum (1,039 g/m2) followed by a rapid decline. Giant cutgrass aboveground net primary production was approximately 1,530 g/m2/yr. Rhizomes (358 g/m2/yr) and roots (160 g/m2/yr) yielded an annual belowground production of 518 g/m2/yr. Total above and belowground annual net production was estimated at 2,048 g/m2/yr.
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Present Address: Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
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Birch, J.B., Cooley, J.L. Production and standing crop patterns of giant cutgrass (Zizaniopsis miliacea) in a freshwater tidal marsh. Oecologia 52, 230–235 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00363842
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00363842