Rj. Howard et Ia. Mendelssohn, EFFECT OF INCREASED WATER DEPTH ON GROWTH OF A COMMON PERENNIAL FRESH-WATER-INTERMEDIATE MARSH SPECIES IN COASTAL LOUISIANA, Wetlands, 15(1), 1995, pp. 82-91
The response of Sagittaria lancifolia to increased water depths of 7.5
and 15 cm was examined in this field study. Water-depth treatments we
re achieved by digging sods containing one or two individual plants or
ramets of S. lancifolia from the marsh, removing sediment from the re
sulting hole, and replacing the sods in their original location at the
appropriate lower elevation. Plants subjected to increased water dept
h of 15 cm had higher mean and maximum leaf heights than disturbed con
trol plants. Aboveground biomass was not affected by water-depth treat
ment; however, 15-cm treatment plants had reduced root biomass and low
ered leaf tissue concentrations of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, and Zn. Marsh sods
at 15 cm below the marsh surface had the lowest redox potential and hi
ghest interstitial water sulfide concentration, indicating that this t
reatment created the most stressful belowground environment. Sagittari
a lancifolia plants responded to the level of stress imposed by the ex
perimental conditions with an altered growth form of increased leaf he
ight.