in its aboveground parts early in the growing season is directly related 

 to the peak of dry matter standing crop. The early spring accumulation of 

 nitrogen may act to offset shortages at the peak of the growing season. 

 The chemical composition of litter and soil samples suggests that biological 

 breakdown of plant material occurs at the soil surface. (A. A.) 



Keywords: Spartina alterniflora . productivity, salt marshes, cord- 

 grass. New Jersey 



II-B-35 



Udell, H.F., J. Zarudsky, T.E. Doheny, and P.R. Burkholder. 1968. Produc- 

 tivity and nutrient values of plants growing in the salt marshes of the 

 Town of Hempstead, Long Island. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 

 96:42-51. 



The abundance and chemical composition of marsh grasses, sea lettuce, 

 and phytoplankton were determined in the Hempstead Bay estuary of the Town 

 of Hempstead, Long Island, New York, in 1967. The marshland comprises 

 about 6,700 acres and the aquatic environment some 11,500 acres. Species 

 of marsh grasses belonging in the genera Spartina and Distichlis produce 

 an estimated 17,113 tons of dry matter per year in the Hempstead estuary, 

 while the aquatic sea lettuce and phytoplankton produce 21,955 tons. 

 The primary producers of organic matter in the Hempstead estuary are shown 

 to form valuable quantities of protein, fat, carbohydrates and vitamins. 

 Protein content of marsh grasses ranged from 9.6 percent to 14.9 percent 

 of dry weight. Zostera yielded 14.6 percent and Ulva 20.8 percent protein 

 in dry matter. In the species of Ulva , Zostera , Spartina and Distichlis , 

 ash content varied from 5.5 percent to 58.2 percent, fat ranged from 0.5 

 percent to 2.9 percent and carbohydrate yielded from 18.2 percent to 

 63.9 percent. Four B vitamins were present in adequate amounts to 

 satisfy the requirements of grazing animals and microorganisms. Vitamin 

 B]2 occurred in relatively small amounts (0.008 to 0.022 microgm/gm) 

 in the flowering plants, but Ulva yielded 0.26 microgm of B]2 per gram of 

 dry matter. These nutrients and essential growth factors are available 

 for direct assimilation by herbivores, and through microbial transformation 

 to detritus they also supply indirectly valuable stores of particulate 

 matter for filter feeders and other marine life. (A. A.) 



Keywords: primary productivity, nutrient values, salt marshes, marsh 

 grasses. Long Island 



60 



