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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #126912
Title: EFFECT OF WETLAND VEGETATION RESIDUES ON DENITRIFICATION IN RIPARIAN ECOSYSTEMS

Author
item Mookherji, Swati
item McCarty, Gregory
item Angier, Jonathan

Submitted to: American Society of Agronomy
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/25/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Three primary sources of new carbon addition were identified within the ecosystem under study. They are: 1) a dominant early spring under story growth of skunk cabbage which deposits residue to the wetland starting mid summer, 2) a dominant mid summer under story of jewel weed which deposits residue starting early fall, and 3) a predominately red maple over story depositing leaf litter in late fall. We tested the ability of these residues, on equivalent C bases, to promote denitrification in the wetland soil during 120 h incubations after addition of nitrate and acetylene. Skunk cabbage residue had higher ability to promote denitrification and C mineralization followed by jewel weed and red maple with the least. These results are reflective of differences in residue composition and indicate that large seasonal variations in denitrification potential occur within the wetland ecosystem due to plant residue depositions.