Different sensitivity of Phragmites australis and Glyceria maxima to high availability of ammonium-N

The ability to cope with NH4+-N was studied in the littoral helophytes Phragmites australis and Glyceria maxima, species commonly occupying fertile habitats rich in NH4+ and often used in artificial wetlands. In the present study, Glyceria growth rate was reduced by 16% at 179 μM NH4+-N, and the biomass production was reduced by 47% at 3700 μM NH4+-N compared to NO3−-N. Similar responses were not found in Phragmites. The amounts (mg g−1 dry wt) of starch and total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) in rhizomes were significantly lower in NH4+ (8.9; 12.2 starch; 20.1; 41.9 TNC) compared to NO3− treated plants (28.0; 15.6 starch; 58.5; 56.3 TNC) in Phragmites and Glyceria, respectively. In addition, Glyceria showed lower amounts (mg g−1 dry wt) of soluble sugars, TNC, K+, and Mg2+ in roots under NH4+ (5.6; 14.3; 20.6; 1.9) compared to NO3− nutrition (11.6; 19.9; 37.9; 2.9, for soluble sugars, TNC, K+, and Mg2+, respectively), while root internal levels of NH4+ and Ca2+ (0.29; 4.6 mg g−1 dry wt, mean of both treatments) were only slightly affected. In Phragmites, no changes in soluble sugars, TNC, Ca2+, K+, and Mg2+ contents of roots (7.3; 14.9; 5.1; 17.3; 2.6 mg g−1 dry wt, means of both treatments) were found in response to treatments. The results, therefore, indicate a more pronounced tolerance towards high NH4+ supply in Phragmites compared to Glyceria, although the former may be susceptible to starch exhaustion in NH4+-N nutrition. In contrast, Glyceria's ability to colonize fertile habitats rich in NH4+ is probably related to the avoidance strategy due to shallow rooting or to the previously described ability to cope with high NH4+ levels when P availability is high and NO3− is also provided.