Nitrogen Metabolism in the Height Forms of Spartina Alterniflora in North Carolina

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Abstract
Selected aspects of the nitrogen nutrition of salt marsh cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora, were investigated in Oak Island Marsh, North Carolina, USA. Nitrate was of minor importance as a nitrogen source for Spartina in this marsh as indicated by low soil interstitial water nitrate concentrations and low plant tissue nitrate concentrations and nitrate reductase activities. However, Spartina did have the capability of assimilating nitrate nitrogen when available. Interstitial water and plant tissue ammonium concentrations were 1—2 orders of magnitude > that for nitrate which strongly indicated that ammonium was the dominant inorganic nitrogen source. Leaf and root nitrogen constituents (total nitrogen, soluble nitrogen, ammonium, and nitrate) and nitrogen metabolism measured via glutamate dehydrogenase activity indicated that the nitrogen status of the short height form of Spartina was deficient relative to that of the tall form.