Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
4379803 | Acta Ecologica Sinica | 2013 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
Plant growth, biomass allocation, root distribution and plant nutrient content were investigated in the submerged macrophyte Potamogeton crispus growing in heterogeneous sediments. Three experimental sediments heterogeneous in nutrient content and phosphorus release capacity were used: sandy loam with low nutrient content (A), clay with intermediate nutrient content (B), and clay with high nutrient content (C). Biomass accumulation was significantly affected by the sediment type, and was highest in clay C (1.23Â mg per plant dry weight) but lowest in sandy loam (0.69Â mg per plant dry weight). The root:shoot ratios in treatments A, B and C were 0.30, 0.14 and 0.09, respectively. P. crispus allocated more biomass to roots in sandy loam compared with the other sediments. The average root numbers in sediments A, B and C were 16, 19 and 20, respectively, and the total root lengths in sediments A, B and C were 238.84, 200.36 and 187.21Â cm, respectively. Almost 90% of the root biomass was distributed in the 0-15Â cm depth in sediments B and C, compared with 64.53% in sediment A. The rank order of plant nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in the sediment types was CÂ >Â BÂ >Â A. These results indicate that both sediment structure and nutrient availability influence the growth and distribution of the root system of P. crispus.
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Authors
Lizhi Wang,