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Physiological adaptations of the invasive cordgrass Spartina anglica to reducing sediments: rhizome metabolic gas fluxes and enhanced O2 and H2S transport

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Abstract

Cordgrasses of the genus Spartina form dense monospecific stands worldwide, profoundly influencing the ecology of estuaries. One species, Spartina anglica, originated by allopolyploidy in the 1800s and has been particularly prolific as an invasive species worldwide. S. anglica tolerates low-lying estuarine mudflats that its progenitor species and other coastal halophytes cannot. However, very little is known of the physiology of S. anglica. In the present study, an automated flow-through respirometry system was used to quantify metabolic gas fluxes (O2, H2S, CO2, and NH3) of S. anglica rhizomes. Enhanced physiological mechanisms to transport O2 and H2S in both directions between the rhizosphere and the atmosphere were exhibited by S. anglica, but not by the native North American species S. alterniflora. These results suggest that tolerance of anoxia and H2S may assist S. anglica in colonizing extensively flooded environments. Enhanced sediment oxygenation by S. anglica may be potentially useful for phytoremediation of contaminated sediments, since microbial degradation of organic pollutants is often limited by O2 availability.

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Acknowledgements

This project benefited greatly from help from the following people: B. Bussiere (plant maintenance), C. Cody (greenhouse), R. Romjue (construction of flow-through respirometry chambers), S. Hacker (assistance with field collections of S. anglica), and B. Maricle (helpful discussions). This work was supported by a faculty seed grant from Washington State University and NSF IBN-0076604 grant to R. Lee. Experiments conducted comply with U.S. laws.

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  1. School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA

    R. W. Lee

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  1. R. W. Lee
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Correspondence to R. W. Lee.

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Communicated by P.W. Sammarco, Chauvin

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Lee, R.W. Physiological adaptations of the invasive cordgrass Spartina anglica to reducing sediments: rhizome metabolic gas fluxes and enhanced O2 and H2S transport. Marine Biology 143, 9–15 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-003-1054-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-003-1054-3

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