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Decomposition of dominant submerged macrophytes: implications for nutrient release in Myall Lake, NSW, Australia

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Abstract

Breakdown and nutrient dynamics of submerged macrophytes were studied in Myall Lake, Australia. Mass loss of Myriophyllum sulsagineum was the lowest (64.90%) among the studied macrophytes during the 322 days followed by charophytes (60.79%), whereas Najas marina and Vallisneria gigantea lost 91.15 and 86.02% of their respective initial mass during that time. The overall exponential breakdown rates of Najas marina and Vallisneria gigantea were similar, with k-values of 0.24 and 0.23 day−1, respectively. These rates were significantly higher than the break down rates of charophytes (0.007 day−1) and M. sulsagineum (0.008 day−1). During growth phase, water column depicted lower nutrient concentrations while during decay period, significant increase in water column nutrients resulted. Release of nutrients from decomposing macrophytes and incorporation of these nutrients into sedimentary phase as well as uptake of nutrients by the growing macrophytes, can present a considerable cycling pathway of nutrients in Myall lake system. The results of this study suggest that different submerged macrophytes may differ appreciably in quality and may exhibit different decomposition rates, patterns and nutrient dynamics in aquatic ecosystems in general, and Myall lakes in particular.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences and Human Technology, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-Okubo, Sakura ku, Saitama-shi, 338-8750, Japan

    Daniel Shilla, Takashi Asaeda & Takeshi Fujino

  2. Centre for Sustainable Use of Coasts and Catchment, School of Applied Sciences University of Newcastle, PO Box 127, Ourimbah, NSW, 2258, Australia

    Brian Sanderson

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  1. Daniel Shilla
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  2. Takashi Asaeda
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Correspondence to Takashi Asaeda.

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Shilla, D., Asaeda, T., Fujino, T. et al. Decomposition of dominant submerged macrophytes: implications for nutrient release in Myall Lake, NSW, Australia. Wetlands Ecol Manage 14, 427–433 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-006-6294-9

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