Decomposition and Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics of Phragmites australis Litter as Affected by Flooding Periods in Coastal Wetlands. Issue 3 (3rd July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Qingqing; Bai, Junhong; Liu, Peipei; Gao, Haifeng; Wang, Junjing
• Is Part Of: Clean. Volume 43:Issue 3(2015:Mar.)
• Page Start: 441
• Page End: 445
• Publication Date: 2014-07-03
• Subjects: Water quality -- Periodicals; Water -- Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Sewage -- Periodicals; Water chemistry -- Periodicals; 333.7205
• DOI: 10.1002/clen.201300823
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1863-0650

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="clen201300823-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>To investigate the effects of flooding periods on decomposition and carbon and nitrogen return of <italic>Phragmites australis</italic> litter, we examined the dynamic of <italic>P. australis</italic> litter decomposition in short‐, medium‐, and long‐flooding coastal wetlands (HN, HS, and LL wetlands, respectively) in the Yellow River Delta, China. Our results showed that the percentage of dry weight loss of <italic>P. australis</italic> litter increased gradually as the decomposition proceeded and the percentage of dry weight loss was highest in LL wetland, followed by HS wetland, while the percentage of dry weight loss was lowest in HN wetland. Similar to the percentage of dry weight loss, the relative return indices (RRIs) of carbon of <italic>P. australis</italic> litter also increased with the increasing days of decomposition, following the order LL wetland &gt; HS wetland &gt; HN wetland. With the exception of little accumulation in both HS and HN wetlands in a certain period, the RRIs of nitrogen increased generally with increasing days of decomposition. However, the C/N ratios decreased rapidly in the first 40 days and retained steady after 40 days.</p> </sec> </abstract>