Effect of dominant Spartina species on salt marsh detritus production in SW Atlantic estuaries

►Spartina alterniflora and S. densiflora produce the same amount of detritus. ►S. alterniflora detritus is of better quality and thus has larger decay rates. ►S. alterniflora detritus has larger marsh sediment trapped litter. ►Both plants are probably exporting the same amount of detritus to the estuary waters. ►S. alterniflora detritus is probably more profitable to the estuaries' food webs.