The estuary, which normally received little fresh water inflow, had 

 a broad area of salt marsh consisting almost entirely of Spartina 

 alterni flora Loisel., and supporting populations of crabs ( Uca pugnax , 

 U. pugilator , U . minax , Callinectes sapidus , Sesarma reticulatumT T 

 a mussel ( MoidioTus demissus ), and snails ( Littorina irrorata and Melampus 

 bidentatusj] Clapper rails, sora rails, diamondback terrapin, raccoons, 

 herons, and many shorebirds were also members of the ecosystem. 



The plan of the study was to compare a fertilized salt marsh with a 

 natural one throughout an annual cycle. The ability of Spartina 

 to grow in waters receiving treated wastes was also studied. TFe results 

 showed that the treated marsh produced significantly greater weights 

 of Spartina per square meter. Snail populations were as great or 

 greater in the waste system than in the control system. The author 

 cautions, however, that the effect of fertilization on and contribution 

 to underwater communities was not studied. 



Annual Spartina alterniflora above-ground production (g dry wt/m ) 

 was determined: 



End of End of End of 

 Marsh Type Season Live Season Dead Season Total 



Control : 



Short 410 380 790 



Medium 680 400 1080 



Tall 1450 600 2050 



Average 550 390 



Wastes Added: 



Short 730 300 1030 



Medium 870 250 1120 



Tall 1970 720 2690 (B.W.) 



Keywords: Spartina , salt marsh, nutrients, marsh ecosystem, productivity 

 North Carolina 



II-B-23 



Stroud, L.M. 1976. Net primary production of belowground material and 

 carbohydrate patterns of two height forms of Spartina alterniflora 

 in two North Carolina marshes. Ph.D. Thesis. North Carolina State 

 University at Raleigh. 146 pp. (Diss. Abstr. 37:2645-46-8.) 



Seasonal patterns, based on monthly samples, in net belowground 

 production, caloric content, and carbohydrate composition were determined 

 for living roots, living rhizomes, and total living material of short 

 and tall height forms of Spartina alterniflora growing at two marshes 

 in North Carolina. An estimate was also made of both dead and total 



49 



